I always thought sipping ice water would numb the pain from new braces, but turns out it can actually make things throb more—something about nerve sensitivity. Anyone else notice this, or am I just unlucky? What’s your go-to trick for relief?
My kid just got braces a couple months ago and we thought cold water would help too—nope, made things worse for her, especially in the first week. She said it felt like her teeth were zapped, not soothed. Warm salt water rinses have worked way better for us, especially before bed. Have you tried that? Sometimes she’ll just stick to room temp drinks and soft foods for the first few days. Ibuprofen helped too, but only when it was really bad. Does your pain get worse with anything else, like crunchy foods or even brushing? It’s honestly such a guessing game at first.
That “zapped” feeling is so real—my daughter described it as a lightning bolt every time she tried cold water after getting her braces on. Funny enough, she actually found popsicles less painful than ice water, maybe because they melt slower? Warm salt water rinses were our go-to too, especially after dinner. Crunchy foods were a hard no for a while, and even brushing felt like a chore. It’s wild how everyone reacts differently, but those first weeks are always a bit of trial and error.
I get what you’re saying about popsicles being easier than ice water, but I’ve gotta say, for me, anything cold was just brutal when I first had braces put on. Popsicles, ice cream, even refrigerated fruit—didn’t matter if it melted slow or fast, it all sent that same jolt right through my teeth. The only thing that really helped was sticking to room temperature drinks and soft foods for a couple weeks.
I know a lot of folks swear by warm salt water rinses, but honestly, I found them a bit overrated. Maybe it’s just me, but I actually got more relief from gently massaging my gums with a wet washcloth. Felt less stingy than the salt water, especially when my mouth was already sore.
Funny how everyone’s got their own tricks, though. My neighbor’s kid could eat cold yogurt the day after her braces went on—meanwhile, I was living off mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. Guess it just goes to show there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to getting used to braces.
It’s kind of reassuring to hear I’m not the only one who found cold stuff made things worse. I tried the salt water rinse too, and honestly, it just made my mouth feel weird—like it was stinging more than soothing. I ended up swishing with plain lukewarm water most days. Couldn’t even think about biting into an apple for ages... It’s wild how different everyone’s pain triggers are. I still get nervous before adjustments just remembering that ache.
