Braces have turned my inner cheeks into what I can only describe as “leather with a grudge.” That tough, calloused feeling is weirdly satisfying and also kind of gross. I used to joke that if I ever got lost in the wilderness, I could chew tree bark no problem after this orthodontic bootcamp.
I also went through wax at a ridiculous speed—like, seriously, why does it vanish overnight? I tried to get creative and cut the wax into tiny bits but then it just fell off and disappeared somewhere in my mouth. I did ask my ortho about alternatives and got a vague “stick with the wax,” but when I mentioned Vaseline, she looked mildly horrified. Apparently, petroleum jelly isn’t really meant for… internal use? I dunno, maybe there’s some secret product they’re hiding from us.
About those silicone covers—I caved and ordered some after seeing an Instagram ad (marketing works on me when I’m desperate). They’re kind of like little mouthguards for each bracket. At first, I thought they were amazing because they actually stayed put longer than wax. But then, I started noticing they’d trap food like nobody’s business. There was one day where I took them out after lunch and it looked like a snack bar exploded in there. Not exactly the “fresh and clean” feeling I was hoping for.
I’ve heard people swear by coconut oil too but the idea of swishing anything oily around with all these metal bits just sounds like a recipe for disaster. Plus, my gag reflex is already working overtime.
Does anyone else find that certain foods make the inside-cheek pain way worse? For me, anything crunchy just feels like sandpaper on an open wound but soft bread somehow manages to get stuck everywhere anyway. Is there actually a “safe” food when you’ve got braces or is it just a constant battle between hunger and oral pain?
Man, I feel you on the “leather with a grudge” thing. My cheeks were like battle-hardened armor by month two. I went through so much wax I started wondering if I was just eating it in my sleep. Honestly, the only thing that helped me was rinsing with warm salt water at night—sounds old school but it actually sped up the healing for those raw spots.
Food-wise, crunchy stuff was a no-go for me too. Chips, toast, even some cereals just turned into torture devices. I basically lived on mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs for a while. Yogurt was my best friend, but yeah, bread is sneaky and gets everywhere. For “safe” foods, anything soft and not sticky worked best—think bananas, pasta, or steamed veggies. Even then, it’s kind of a gamble some days.
I never tried coconut oil because, like you said, the idea of swishing oil with all that hardware... nope. The only real trick is time—eventually your cheeks toughen up and it stops being as bad. Not exactly a fun answer but hey, at least you’ll be ready for that wilderness survival scenario.
I know everyone swears by salt water rinses, but honestly, it made my mouth sting like crazy and I felt like it just dried everything out more. I actually had better luck with a gentle mouthwash for sensitive mouths—less burn, and it seemed to help the raw spots heal up faster. Not sure if that’s just me being picky, but worth a shot if salt water isn’t cutting it. And yeah, bread is the worst... I still find crumbs in places I didn’t know existed.
I hear you on the salt water thing. Folks act like it’s some magic potion, but for me, it just made my mouth feel like I’d gargled with the ocean and then licked sandpaper. The gentle mouthwash is a good call—my dentist gave me one of those alcohol-free ones and it was way less torture. Ever try sticking wax on the brackets? I swear half my conversations used to start with, “Hang on, let me fish this out of my cheek.” And don’t get me started on bread... I had a whole sandwich hiding in there once.
The wax was a lifesaver for me, too, but I swear it never stayed put for long. I’d stick it on before class and by lunch, it was gone—probably swallowed half of it without realizing. I remember thinking salt water rinses were supposed to be some kind of miracle cure, but honestly, it just made everything sting more. I’m with you on the alcohol-free mouthwash; it’s way gentler and doesn’t leave your mouth feeling like you just ran a marathon in the desert.
Bread and braces are a nightmare combo. I used to avoid sandwiches altogether because I’d end up with a whole bakery stuck in my wires. One trick that helped me was swishing with plain water after eating—nothing fancy, just a quick rinse to clear out the crumbs. I also kept a little travel toothbrush on me for emergencies. It sounds like overkill, but it saved me from some pretty embarrassing moments.
It gets easier, but those first few weeks are rough. Hang in there.
