Patience really is key. I remember thinking my gums would never stop feeling sore after my braces went on, but they did settle down—eventually. Did your son have much swelling, or was it mostly just the tenderness? I found saltwater rinses helped a bit, even if the taste wasn’t great...
My daughter had a similar reaction—her gums puffed up like she’d been chewing on marshmallows for a week. The saltwater rinse was her least favorite part, but it did help with the soreness. Honestly, I think the tenderness bothered her more than the swelling. She swore soft foods were her best friend for those first few days... mashed potatoes for the win.
My son’s gums got super puffy too, almost looked worse than the braces themselves. I was worried it meant something was wrong, but the orthodontist said it’s pretty common. Still, I keep second-guessing myself—like, is there a point where the swelling is too much? Did you ever worry about infection or anything, or was it just the soreness for your daughter? Sometimes I feel like I’m hovering, but I can’t help it.
I totally get what you mean about second-guessing yourself. When my daughter got her braces, her gums puffed up way more than I expected, and honestly, it freaked me out a bit. Our orthodontist also said it was common, but I still kept worrying—especially because the swelling didn’t go down for a while.
I know they say some swelling is normal, but I actually pushed for a second opinion after a week when things looked worse instead of better. Turns out, she had a mild infection from food getting stuck where we couldn’t see it. Once we stepped up her cleaning routine and used a special mouth rinse, things improved pretty quickly.
I’m not saying it’s always an infection, but if the swelling doesn’t start to go down after a few days or if there’s any redness, bleeding, or weird smell, I think it’s worth checking again. Sometimes our gut feeling as parents is right, even if the pros say it’s “normal.” It’s hard not to hover, but honestly, I’d rather be a little overcautious than miss something important.
That’s interesting—my gums swelled up a lot after my first adjustment, but it went away in a couple days with better brushing. Did your daughter have any pain or just swelling? I’m always wondering if discomfort is a red flag or just part of the process.
