"Did you find it uncomfortable at first? I'm tempted, just hesitant after my braces caused some nasty sores..."
Totally understandable hesitation. Salt water rinses can feel a bit intimidating at first, especially if you've had painful experiences with braces. I remember when I first got braces years ago—my mouth was a mess of sores and cuts. Honestly, the idea of rinsing with salt water made me cringe too. But surprisingly, when I finally gave it a try (after much procrastination), it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd imagined. Sure, there was a slight sting initially, but it faded pretty quickly and actually felt soothing afterward. The salt water really helped speed up healing and reduced inflammation noticeably.
Have you tried starting with lukewarm water and just a pinch of salt? Keeping it mild at first might ease your anxiety about discomfort. It worked wonders for me, anyway...
I totally get where you're coming from. Braces were rough for me too—my mouth felt like a battlefield for weeks, lol. Honestly, I was super hesitant about salt water rinses at first because I thought it'd sting like crazy. But when I finally tried it (after psyching myself up for days...), it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Yeah, there's a tiny pinch at first, but it fades pretty fast and actually feels kinda soothing afterward.
One thing that helped me was starting really mild—just barely salty and lukewarm water. It eased my anxiety about the whole thing, and once I got used to it, I gradually increased the salt a bit. It genuinely made a difference in healing those annoying sores faster. Maybe give it a gentle try first and see how you feel? Totally understandable if you're still cautious though...braces trauma is real, haha.
"One thing that helped me was starting really mild—just barely salty and lukewarm water."
Yeah, I second this. Salt water rinses sounded sketchy to me at first too...like, wouldn't salt make it sting more? But honestly, starting super diluted made a huge difference. Plus, it's way cheaper than buying special rinses or gels from the pharmacy. I'm always looking for budget-friendly hacks, and this one actually worked surprisingly well. Might be worth giving it a cautious shot if you're still on the fence.
Plus, it's way cheaper than buying special rinses or gels from the pharmacy. I'm always looking for budget-friendly hacks, and this one actually worked surprisingly well.
I was pretty skeptical at first too, because salt water just sounded like it would irritate things further. But after doing some digging around, I learned it's actually about osmosis—basically, the mild saltiness helps draw out inflammation and gently cleans without harsh chemicals. The key is definitely keeping it super dilute at first and using warm—not hot—water. I found that lukewarm felt way more soothing than room temp or cold, weirdly enough. Anyway, just thought I'd share the science-y angle if anyone else was feeling doubtful like me.
"I found that lukewarm felt way more soothing than room temp or cold, weirdly enough."
Haha, totally agree with you there. When my kiddo had a similar situation after a DIY haircut gone wrong (let's just say scissors and toddlers don't mix 😅), I was pretty desperate for anything gentle and budget-friendly. The lukewarm salt water trick was surprisingly effective—who knew science could save the day like that? Glad to hear it worked for you too... parenting hacks for the win.
