I totally relate to the cleaning routine struggle. When my braces went on, my gums puffed up too, and I was kind of panicked since I didn’t want extra ortho bills. My budget’s tight, so I tried to stick with regular brushing and those proxy brushes, but honestly, they didn’t do much for me either. What actually helped was saltwater rinses—super cheap and easy to do at home. I just mixed a teaspoon of salt in warm water and swished a couple times a day. The swelling eased up within a week or two. If it hadn’t, I probably would’ve asked the ortho to check for infection, but thankfully, it settled without any fancy gadgets or extra appointments. Sometimes simple stuff works if you catch it early.
What actually helped was saltwater rinses—super cheap and easy to do at home. I just mixed a teaspoon of salt in warm water and swished a couple times a day. The swelling eased up within a week or two.
That’s honestly such a solid tip. Saltwater rinses are one of those old-school remedies that still hold up, especially when you’re trying to avoid extra costs. I had a similar experience—my gums ballooned up for the first couple weeks after getting braces, and it freaked me out. Did you ever try switching toothpaste or mouthwash? Sometimes those can irritate things too, but it sounds like you caught it early and handled it well. Glad the swelling went down without needing another appointment.
We did the saltwater rinses too when my daughter first got her braces. It really does help, and it’s nice not having to buy fancy rinses. I will say though—her orthodontist mentioned to avoid whitening toothpaste for now because it can irritate the gums even more. Did anyone’s kid have issues with flavored mouthwashes? I swear some of those “bubblegum” ones made things worse for us.
Did anyone’s kid have issues with flavored mouthwashes? I swear some of those “bubblegum” ones made things worse for us.
Totally get this. My son tried the “grape” one and his gums flared up even more. I think the artificial flavors or dyes just irritated things. We stuck to plain alcohol-free rinse after that… less fun, but way less drama.
We had the same issue with those “fun” flavors. My kiddo begged for watermelon because, you know, apparently mint is “for old people.” Well, the first night she used it, her gums looked like she’d eaten a bag of cinnamon candy—red and puffy. Not exactly what I was hoping for after shelling out for braces and all the extras. I’m honestly not sure if it’s the flavor, the dye, or just that some of these rinses are basically liquid Skittles, but it definitely didn’t help.
Switched to a plain alcohol-free one from the store brand (half the price of the “cool” ones), and things calmed down fast. Not as exciting, but my wallet and her mouth were both happier. I do wonder if dentists ever actually taste-test these flavors themselves... or if they just trust the marketing team.
Anyone else notice the “kids” mouthwashes are pricier than the regular ones? Feels like you pay extra for a cartoon character on the label and get more drama in return. At this point, we’re sticking with boring and cheap—less risk of gum freakouts and fewer complaints about burning or weird aftertastes.
Also, side note—has anyone tried just diluting regular mouthwash with water? I’ve heard it works in a pinch and doesn’t seem to bother sensitive mouths as much. Curious if that’s just an old wives’ tale or actually helps with post-braces swelling.
