Silicone covers really are a step up, aren’t they? I wish those had been around when I first started with braces—back then, it was wax or nothing. I’ve also noticed the wax holds better if you dry the brackets with a tissue first, but I agree, it’s still a gamble whether it’ll survive the night. Honestly, waking up with sore cheeks used to be the worst part. I started keeping a little tube of lanolin balm on my nightstand for mornings when things felt especially raw—seems to help with healing. Funny how much creativity goes into just getting through a night without feeling like you chewed on gravel.
Reading this is like reliving my first week with braces all over again—except you clearly had way more survival skills than I did. I swear, the wax situation is just... a whole thing. Drying off the brackets with a tissue is a game-changer, but I still end up with bits of wax stuck to my pillow sometimes. Or worse, I wake up and realize I must’ve swallowed it in my sleep (which, according to my orthodontist, is “harmless,” but it’s still weird to think about).
Lanolin balm sounds like a genius move. I’ve just been using regular lip balm on the inside of my cheeks, which helps a bit, but it’s kind of hit-or-miss. There was one night where I legit considered taping cotton balls to my face just to avoid the “chewing gravel” feeling you mentioned. Didn’t go through with it, but desperate times, right?
I totally get what you mean about creativity. Braces bring out this weird DIY side—like suddenly I’m MacGyvering ways to keep my mouth from self-destructing overnight. It’s sort of comforting knowing other people have their own little hacks too.
Props for sticking it out and finding what works for you. Some days it feels like progress is measured in how few mouth ulcers you wake up with, not how straight your teeth are getting. But hey, we’ll get there eventually... even if it means inventing new ways to survive bedtime in the meantime.
Some days it feels like progress is measured in how few mouth ulcers you wake up with, not how straight your teeth are getting.
That right there is the most accurate description I’ve read in ages. The mouth ulcer struggle is so real—sometimes it feels like the brackets are actively plotting against me overnight. I’ve definitely done the “wake up and realize I swallowed wax” routine more times than I care to admit. My ortho also swears it’s fine, but yeah, it just feels... odd.
I tried the regular lip balm trick too, but it always ended up feeling greasy or making my cheeks stick in weird ways. Lanolin is a game-changer for me, but I get that not everyone loves the texture. Honestly, the only thing that made a noticeable difference for me was switching to silicone wax instead of the standard stuff. It’s pricier, but it actually stays put (most nights, anyway).
Curious if anyone else has found a non-wax solution that works? I’ve heard some people swear by mouth guards, but I can’t imagine sleeping with even more plastic in my mouth.
Silicone wax has definitely been a lifesaver for me too, but I know what you mean about the cost. I tried a mouth guard once, and honestly, it just felt like overkill—like my mouth was already crowded enough with brackets, wires, and now a big chunk of plastic. Have you noticed any difference in healing time for ulcers depending on what you use, or is it all pretty much the same in the end? Sometimes I wonder if just giving my mouth a break from anything overnight would help, but then I end up regretting it the next morning...
For me, ulcers seem to heal a bit faster if I keep using the wax, especially the silicone stuff, but it’s not a miracle cure. If I skip it overnight, I usually wake up with a sore spot that’s way worse, so I just grit my teeth and keep using it. I’ve tried saltwater rinses too—sometimes that helps a bit with healing, but mostly it’s just about not letting things get rubbed raw in the first place. Mouth guards felt like way too much for me as well... almost claustrophobic. Have you tried switching up the wax brands? Some seem softer and less irritating than others.
