I’ve noticed the same thing—if I skip the wax, it’s almost guaranteed I’ll wake up with a spot that’s way more irritated than before. I’ve bounced between a few brands, mostly because I’m trying to keep costs down. The store-brand wax is cheaper, but honestly, it’s not as soft and sometimes just falls off after a couple hours. The silicone kind is pricier, but I can usually stretch it out for a couple days if I’m careful about eating and brushing.
Have you tried using a little bit of coconut oil on the sore spots? It doesn’t replace wax, but sometimes it helps soothe things a bit, and it’s something I already have at home. Saltwater rinses are my go-to too, especially when I’m trying to avoid buying extra mouthwash. I wish there was a way to make the wax last longer without it getting all gross overnight, but so far, I haven’t found a perfect hack. If anyone’s found a budget-friendly wax that actually stays put, I’d love to hear about it.
I wish there was a way to make the wax last longer without it getting all gross overnight, but so far, I haven’t found a perfect hack.
Yeah, this is the struggle. I’ve been through the whole wax roulette—store brand, name brand, silicone, you name it. The regular wax always seems to turn into this weird gummy mess by morning, and then I’m left with that “did I just swallow half my wax?” feeling. Not ideal.
Silicone’s definitely better for staying put, but I agree, it’s not cheap. I usually cut mine into smaller pieces to stretch it out. It’s a bit of a pain, but if I’m careful about where I place it (like really drying off the bracket first), it’ll hang in there for a solid day or two. Sometimes longer if I don’t eat anything too hot.
I haven’t tried coconut oil yet, but I do swear by saltwater rinses. They sting at first, but they help heal up those raw spots way faster than anything else for me. Occasionally I’ll dab a little vitamin E oil on a particularly angry spot—no idea if it actually helps, but it feels soothing.
Honestly, the only “hack” that’s worked for me is to avoid eating right after putting on fresh wax. Otherwise it just slides right off and I’m back to square one. And yeah, the cost adds up fast. My ortho gives out tiny sample packs like they’re gold bars, so I end up rationing them like crazy.
If anyone ever invents a wax that magically stays put and doesn’t taste weird by morning, I’ll be first in line... Until then, it’s just trial and error (and a lot of saltwater).
I’m right there with you on the “did I just eat my own wax?” paranoia. I keep waking up convinced it’s gone, then find a weird chunk stuck somewhere. Drying the bracket is a game changer, though—never thought it’d matter that much. I haven’t tried vitamin E oil yet, but now I’m curious. The saltwater rinse does sting, but I’ll take that over another canker sore any day. Still holding out hope for a wax that doesn’t taste like mystery plastic...
Drying the bracket is a game changer, though—never thought it’d matter that much. I haven’t tried vitamin E oil yet, but now I’m curious.
That “did I just eat my own wax?” moment is all too familiar. I’ve definitely woken up with that weird plasticky aftertaste and found a rogue chunk hiding in my cheek later. Drying the bracket first really changed things for me, too—like, I never realized moisture was why the wax kept sliding off. Here’s what I started doing: I use a little bit of tissue to dry the bracket, then roll the wax between my fingers to warm it up. It sticks way better that way. I tried vitamin E oil once, but honestly, it made everything so slippery I couldn’t get the wax to stay put. Maybe I used too much? Still searching for a wax that doesn’t taste like a dollar store toy...
I swear, the taste of ortho wax is its own special punishment. I’ve tried a few brands and one actually tasted like those erasers you’d chew on in elementary school (don’t judge). Drying the bracket makes a massive difference, though—I used to just slap the wax on and wonder why it slid off mid-bite. Vitamin E oil never worked for me either, just made my mouth feel like a slip-n-slide. Still waiting for someone to invent flavorless, invisible wax that doesn’t dissolve the second you eat soup...
