Wax is definitely hit or miss—I've seen it last all day for some, but for others, it just disappears. Honestly, I used to tell patients to dry the bracket really well before putting the wax on, but even then, it’s not perfect. I remember one kid telling me he layered a tiny bit of tissue under the wax and swore it stayed put longer… not sure I'd recommend that, but he seemed convinced. Saltwater rinses can sting like crazy if you’ve got open sores, so I usually suggest sticking with lukewarm water or that alcohol-free rinse you mentioned. Those first weeks are brutal, but your mouth does toughen up after a bit.
I’ve gotta admit, I’m not totally sold on the tissue-under-the-wax trick—seems like a recipe for a soggy mess after a few hours. Drying the bracket helps, sure, but honestly, I’ve seen some folks just skip the wax altogether after a week or two once their cheeks toughen up. Not saying you should suffer, but your mouth does adapt way faster than you’d think. And about saltwater: yeah, it stings, but it’s still my go-to... nothing beats that old-school burn for healing.
I’m kinda nervous hearing people say you just “toughen up” after a week or two—my cheeks are still getting shredded and I’m on week three. Maybe I’m just a slow adapter? I tried the saltwater thing but it honestly made me tear up a little, haha. Does anyone else still use wax after the first month, or am I just dragging this out? Also, is there a trick to getting the wax to actually stay put overnight? Mine always falls off by morning.
My kiddo’s been in braces for a few months, and honestly, we still use wax some nights. It’s not just you—some folks just have more sensitive cheeks. We found warming the wax a bit between fingers helps it stick better, but yeah, it sometimes falls off overnight. Hang in there; it does get easier, but there’s no set timeline.
My son’s been rocking the “chipmunk cheeks” look since getting braces, and he swears the wax is both a lifesaver and a total pain when it comes off in his sleep. He actually tried sticking a tiny bit of sugar-free gum over a pokey bracket once—probably not orthodontist-approved, but it held up better than the wax that night. Not saying it’s genius, but desperate times...
