Weird tricks for stopping braces from tearing up my cheeks?

Honestly, I never had much luck with dental wax either - half the time it just slid off and made my food taste weird. I know some folks swear by salt rinses, but for me, they just stung and didn’t do much for the actual cuts. What actually helped was switching to silicone orthodontic wax. It’s a little pricier, but it sticks way better, even through meals. Also, I started using a super soft toothbrush and that seemed to cut down on irritation a bit. Chewing gum was a disaster for me - just got stuck everywhere. Maybe give the silicone stuff a shot?

I get what you mean about the silicone wax being stickier, but honestly, for me it just turned into a weird putty mess after a couple hours - like Play-Doh stuck in my braces. I actually had more luck with those little dental silicone strips you mold and press on, but they’re a pain to find. Weirdly enough, I found that eating cold stuff (like yogurt or popsicles) seemed to numb my cheeks just enough to get through the worst days. Not exactly dentist-approved, but hey... desperate times, right?

That Play-Doh comparison is too real... I swear, I spent half my day fishing bits of wax out of my molars. Never tried the dental silicone strips, but now I’m curious. Cold stuff definitely helped me too - ice cream was basically survival food for a week.

Ice cream was a lifesaver for you? I wish I could say the same, but honestly, the cold stuff actually made my mouth ache more. Maybe it’s just me being sensitive, but even room-temp water felt like a stab for the first few days. I get why people love the wax (even though it’s a pain to pick out), but I’m not convinced dental silicone is that much better. The one time I tried it, it slipped right off mid-lunch and I nearly swallowed it - seriously stressful.

What actually worked for me was rinsing with warm salt water a few times a day. Not glamorous, but it seemed to calm things down and helped my cheeks heal up faster. Also, sticking with softer foods longer than I thought I’d need to made a difference. The wax and silicone are fine as a quick fix, but long-term? I think letting your mouth toughen up naturally (with some TLC) does more good than loading on all the barriers. Anyone else find all these “weird tricks” are just temporary relief?

I’m actually kind of relieved to hear someone else say the wax and silicone don’t really stay put, especially when eating. My kid’s always complaining about it, and I worry she’ll swallow a chunk of wax one day. Salt water rinses seem to help her too, though she complains about the taste. We tried those little silicone covers that snap over the whole bracket but they just fell off as soon as she talked or chewed. I’m nervous about letting her “toughen up” but maybe you’re right - her cheeks are a bit less raw now than at the start. Still feels like a waiting game.

Honestly, I never had much luck with wax or silicone either - felt like chewing gum that just disappears mid-meal. I used to worry about swallowing it, but after a few accidental “snacks,” I’m still kicking. The salt water rinse is a classic, though yeah, it’s not exactly a treat.

I know the “toughen up” thing sounds harsh, but in my experience, your cheeks really do get used to it. Mine were like hamburger meat for the first month, then suddenly… not so bad. I tried those silicone covers too - waste of money for me, they popped off if I so much as smiled.

If you’re nervous about letting her ride it out, maybe try cold drinks or even sucking on ice chips for a bit of relief. Not a cure, but it helped me on rough days. Just don’t let her chew the ice - learned that one the hard way.

I totally get the “hamburger cheeks” thing - felt like I was chewing on sandpaper for weeks. Wax was a joke for me, too. I actually started using a tiny dab of coconut oil at night (sounds weird, but it helped a little with the rubbing). Also, I’d sometimes fold up a clean tissue and tuck it between my cheek and braces while watching TV... not glamorous, but desperate times, right? Eventually my mouth did toughen up, but those first few weeks were brutal.

Coconut oil is an interesting idea - I’ve actually heard a few folks mention it, but I have to admit, I’m a little hesitant about using oils or tissues as a buffer for any extended period. The tissue trick sounds creative (and I get the desperation!), but in my experience, anything that sits in your mouth for too long - especially paper products - can start to break down and might even increase irritation or introduce bacteria if you’re not careful. I’ve seen more than a few cases where people came in with little ulcers or red spots, and it turned out they’d been using bits of napkin or even gauze to “pad” the brackets. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it just makes things messier.

Wax gets a bad rap, but sometimes it’s about how you apply it. I remember one kid who hated wax because it kept falling off, but when we dried the bracket and really pressed the wax on, it stuck much better. Not perfect, but better than nothing. That said, everyone’s mouth is different - some people just can’t stand the feeling or taste, and I get that.

The toughening up part is real, though. I had braces myself back in college, and those first two weeks were a nightmare. Couldn’t eat a sandwich without feeling like my cheeks were being shredded. But after a while, you really do develop a sort of “callus” inside your mouth - almost like breaking in a new pair of shoes. Not a fun process, but it does pass.

If things get really rough, I’ve seen a few people use orthodontic silicone instead of wax - it’s a little firmer and seems to hold up overnight better. Not always easy to find at the drugstore, but worth a shot if nothing else works. And for what it’s worth, saltwater rinses always seemed to help me with healing, even if they don’t stop the rubbing directly.

I guess there’s no perfect answer - just a lot of weird hacks and a bit of patience.

Has anyone found a cheaper alternative to orthodontic silicone? I looked it up and the prices are kinda wild for such a tiny amount. Wax is hit or miss for me - if I get it dry enough, it stays, but I swear it vanishes the second I eat anything warm. Anyone ever try making their own “wax” with something else? I’m tempted but also don’t want to end up with a mouthful of regret.

I tried to get creative once and used a bit of beeswax I had leftover from a candle-making kit... let’s just say I do NOT recommend it unless you’re into the taste of disappointment and regret. The stuff got all crumbly and stuck everywhere. I feel you on the wax disappearing act, though - mine seems to evaporate if I even look at a hot drink. At this point, I just carry extra wax in my pocket like some weird dental squirrel.

At this point, I just carry extra wax in my pocket like some weird dental squirrel.

That cracked me up - pretty sure we could start a whole club of dental squirrels at this point. But honestly, I gotta push back a bit on the beeswax thing. I tried it too, after running out of the ortho wax (why does it always run out right before bed?), but I had a totally different experience. Maybe it was the kind I used? Mine was from a craft store and felt softer, almost like lip balm. It still wasn’t perfect - definitely not as smooth as the real stuff - but it got me through a couple rough days until I could get more from my ortho.

I totally get what you mean about the wax just vanishing with hot drinks though. First time I had tea, I thought I’d swallowed it or something. Turns out, yeah, it just melts away and then you’re back to square one with your cheeks getting shredded.

Random side note: my cousin swears by those little silicone earplug pieces when she runs out of wax. She just pinches off a bit and rolls it over her brackets. Sounds weird, but she says it’s less crumbly than beeswax and stays put longer, especially if you’re eating or drinking something warm. I haven’t tried it myself - kinda nervous about putting anything not meant for teeth in my mouth - but she’s survived so far.

I guess everyone’s got their own hack for surviving braces. For me, nothing beats the actual ortho wax, but in a pinch, I’ll try just about anything that doesn’t taste like regret. If only they made a wax that tasted like chocolate... now that would be genius.

The struggle is real, but hey, at least we’ll have nice teeth at the end of all this, right?

That’s wild about the earplug trick - never heard of that one before. Has anyone actually asked their ortho if that’s safe? I always worry about weird reactions or something getting stuck. Also, does anyone else find the wax gets all gritty if you eat bread or crackers?

I’ve always wondered about the safety of using anything not specifically made for braces - earplugs seem risky if they break apart. Anyone else get annoyed by how wax just crumbles after eating? Has anyone tried those silicone covers instead, or do they have the same issue with food?

Wax crumbling after eating drove me nuts too. I tried those silicone covers and honestly, they held up better for me - less mess, but sometimes a bit trickier to get off. Hang in there, it gets easier with time.

Does the silicone stuff ever get stuck in your braces? I’ve only tried the wax and it just kind of falls apart, especially after eating, which is super annoying. I’m worried about trying something that’s harder to remove, though. Did it ever pull on your wires or get stuck in weird places? I keep hearing it gets better, but right now my cheeks feel like ground beef...

I totally get the “ground beef” cheeks thing - mine felt like they’d been through a cheese grater the first couple weeks. I tried the silicone covers too, and honestly, they do stick more than wax, but I never had them yank on my wires or get lost in weird spots. Sometimes I’d find a bit stuck to a bracket after eating, but nothing dramatic. Did you try rolling the silicone into a little ball before pressing it on? That seemed to make it easier to peel off for me. Wax just dissolves way too fast for my taste.

I’m not entirely sold on the silicone covers, honestly. I gave them a good run, but they always felt a bit too sticky and sometimes left this odd residue on my brackets. Wax isn’t perfect - yeah, it dissolves faster - but I found if you dry the bracket first, it holds up much better. Plus, it never left me picking bits out of my teeth after lunch. Maybe it’s just personal preference, but for me, the “old school” wax is less hassle in the long run.

Wax isn’t perfect - yeah, it dissolves faster - but I found if you dry the bracket first, it holds up much better.

I totally get what you mean about the wax. I was super nervous about trying anything new, but drying the bracket with a tissue before putting on the wax made a huge difference for me too. The silicone covers just felt weird and honestly made me worry more about stuff getting stuck in my braces. Wax isn’t flawless, but at least I don’t have to stress about picking out random bits later. Still, I always carry extra just in case it disappears halfway through the day...

Same here - drying the bracket first was a game changer for me. I tried the silicone covers since they were a bit cheaper in bulk, but honestly, they just felt too bulky and I ended up going back to wax. Carrying extra is smart, especially if you’re out for long stretches. If you’re trying to save a bit, sometimes I cut the wax pieces in half so it lasts longer. It’s not perfect, but it’s way better than dealing with torn up cheeks all day.