Man, I hear you about the wax melting off—same thing happened to me every time I tried to eat anything warm. What worked better for me was those silicone covers you can get at some pharmacies. They seem to hold up longer than regular wax, especially with hot drinks. Also, I started rinsing with salt water a few times a day, which stung at first but seemed to help the ulcers heal quicker. If you haven’t already, you might want to ask your ortho if they can file down any really sharp brackets or wires—mine did that once and it made a big difference.
I’m honestly a little paranoid about those ulcers getting worse, so I’ve basically turned into a salt water gargling machine. But does anyone else get freaked out that the silicone covers might come off and you swallow them? I tried wax and it just disappeared mid-bite. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but the idea of swallowing random ortho stuff is kinda stressing me out...
I totally get where you’re coming from. I used to stress about swallowing wax, too, and honestly, it did just vanish sometimes while I was eating. My orthodontist assured me it’s harmless if it happens—but yeah, it’s unsettling. The salt water rinses really helped my ulcers heal faster, though, so keep at it. It does get easier after a few weeks, promise.
I can relate to the worry about swallowing wax—happened to me more than once, and it’s definitely a strange feeling. I was skeptical when my dentist said it was fine, but after a while you just stop noticing it. The salt water rinses made a noticeable difference for me, too. Funny how something so simple helps more than fancy gels. It took me about a month to stop getting new ulcers, so hang in there. Once your cheeks toughen up, you’ll hardly think about it.
Yeah, swallowing wax is weird at first, but honestly, it’s never caused me any issues either. Salt water rinses did way more for me than any of those numbing gels—plus they're cheap and easy. I tried biting down on a wet tea bag when my cheeks were really raw, and it helped a bit with the soreness. Took a couple weeks for my mouth to adjust, but it does get better. Hang in there.