I actually found ice water helped a lot for flare-ups, even though cold stuff can be weird with braces.
Interesting, I had kind of the opposite reaction—cold drinks made my teeth ache more, especially after adjustments. I ended up sticking with lukewarm herbal tea or just plain room-temp water. It’s funny how everyone’s mouth reacts differently. Also, I know wax is the usual go-to, but I had a bit more luck with the silicone covers once I trimmed them down. They stayed put better for me, but maybe that’s just personal preference. Bread was a nightmare though... I switched to soft scrambled eggs for a while.
Bread was a nightmare though... I switched to soft scrambled eggs for a while.
Totally get you on the bread—felt like it would glue itself to every bracket. I lived off mashed potatoes and yogurt for days after each adjustment. Funny you mention silicone covers, I always found wax just melted away too fast, especially if I tried to eat anything. Lukewarm drinks were my go-to too... cold stuff just made my teeth throb. Guess everyone’s mouth has its own rules.
Bread was the worst for me too—just stuck everywhere and felt impossible to clean out. I actually found that cold stuff helped numb things, but my sister swore it made hers worse. Funny how everyone’s mouth reacts so differently. I never really liked the wax either... always seemed to vanish mid-bite.
Bread is honestly a nightmare with braces—those soft bits just wedge themselves in every bracket and wire, and then you’re stuck doing the awkward tongue acrobatics in public. I used to think bagels would be safer, but nope... just as bad, maybe worse.
Funny you mention cold stuff helping. For me, ice water was a lifesaver after adjustments, but my nephew said it made his teeth ache even more. There’s definitely no universal fix—oral sensitivity seems all over the place.
The wax situation drove me nuts too. It’d disappear halfway through lunch, and then I’d be left with that sharp wire poking at my cheek again. Sometimes I wondered if I was eating more wax than actual food... not exactly appetizing.
One thing that did help was rinsing with warm salt water when things got really sore (not glamorous, but effective). And switching to softer foods for a few days post-adjustment—mashed potatoes became my go-to. Hang in there; it does get better, even if it feels endless right now.
Totally get what you mean about bread—honestly, even the softest stuff manages to get stuck in the weirdest places. I tried switching to wraps for a while, but those can be just as annoying. The wax disappearing always baffled me too... are we all just eating it without realizing?
You mentioned warm salt water rinses, which helped me a lot, but I’ve always wondered—did anyone try those silicone covers instead of wax? Curious if they actually stay put better or if it’s just more of the same hassle.