BRACES HURT WAY MORE THAN I EXPECTED... WHAT HELPS?

“are those just from the brackets rubbing, or is it something else? I keep worrying it’s an allergy or maybe we’re not cleaning well enough.”

My daughter had a mouth that looked like she’d been chewing on cacti for the first month - turns out most of it was just those evil brackets doing their thing. Wax helped, but she’d inevitably eat it by accident (seriously, why do they make it taste kind of okay?). We did notice anything citrusy made her ulcers flare up - lemons were a hard no. I always wonder if there’s a magic food that actually helps heal them faster... anyone ever try yogurt or something weird like that?

Yogurt was a go-to at our house too - cold and soothing, but honestly, it didn’t seem to magically heal anything faster. We tried honey once (heard it’s supposed to help), but it was just a sticky mess. Has anyone noticed if spicy foods make things worse? My kid swore hot chips were “fine” but... I’m skeptical.

Spicy foods were a no-go for me - definitely made everything feel worse and I regretted it after just a few bites. I get the temptation though, especially with kids who miss their favorite snacks. What worked best for us was sticking to softer, bland stuff, even if it got boring. Popsicles helped a lot too, and they’re cheap. Hang in there... it does get easier after the first week or so, promise.

I actually found popsicles made my teeth ache even more, weirdly enough. Ended up swapping to room temp applesauce and mashed potatoes - super cheap and less of that freezing pain. I do miss crunchy stuff, though. Anyone else try just letting food sit out till it’s not cold?

I always worry about biting into anything cold or even just a little chilly... it sends that weird ache right through my teeth. Has anyone tried microwaving things like soup or oatmeal just a bit extra, or does that make it worse? I’m nervous about going too hot but room temp just feels safer.