- I actually don’t mind chewing after an adjustment as much as everyone says.
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— for me, it feels weird and sore, but not *that* bad unless I bite something tough.“chewing after adjustments is just brutal sometimes”
- I think the pressure is worse than inflammation, at least for the first day or two.
- Warm salt water rinses seem to help more than cold packs in my case.
- The popcorn craving hits hard, but honestly, I miss biting into apples more.
The popcorn craving hits hard, but honestly, I miss biting into apples more.
Same here—apples are my weakness. I tried slicing them super thin once, thinking it’d be easier, but nope... still felt like chewing bricks. For me, the first day after an adjustment is just a “soft foods only” zone. Yogurt and mashed potatoes become my best friends.
For me, the first day after an adjustment is just a “soft foods only” zone. Yogurt and mashed potatoes become my best friends.
Yeah, I feel you. That first day is brutal—my jaw feels like it’s done a full workout. Tried eating a banana once, thought it’d be easy... nope, still hurt. Honestly, I just stick to smoothies and eggs till things chill out. Apples gotta wait.
I get what you mean, but honestly, I don’t think the pain is always that bad after adjustments. Maybe I’m just lucky or my orthodontist goes lighter? Sometimes I can still eat stuff like scrambled tofu or even soft bread if I tear it up small. It’s not fun, but I don’t have to stick to liquids every time. Maybe it just depends on the type of adjustment or how sensitive your teeth are that day.
It’s interesting reading how different the pain can be for everyone. My kiddo’s been dealing with braces for a few months now, and honestly, I get so anxious before every adjustment. Sometimes it’s just a dull ache, but other times, she’s in tears and won’t touch anything but yogurt or mashed potatoes for a couple days. I wish it was more predictable.
I do wonder if it’s partly down to the orthodontist’s technique, or maybe just the type of adjustment, like you mentioned. There have been appointments where she barely noticed any difference, and then others where even soft bread was “too crunchy.” We’ve tried painkillers right before the appointment, and sometimes that helps, but not always. I find myself overthinking—like, did she brush too hard, or maybe the wires were tightened more this time? It’s hard not to worry.
She has a friend who seems to breeze through every adjustment and eats pizza the same evening, so I guess it really does vary a lot. I’ve started keeping a stash of easy-to-eat foods on hand just in case—things like scrambled eggs, applesauce, and those little instant mashed potato cups. She gets tired of them, but at least she doesn’t have to go totally liquid.
I totally get what you mean about sensitivity changing from day to day. Some weeks are just rougher than others, and I wish there was a magic answer for how to make it easier. I try not to let my nerves show, but it’s hard watching your kid in pain, even if it’s “normal.” At least we’re all in the same boat, right?