Honestly, I get the logic behind “owning it,” but that’s not always easy for everyone. For me, joking about my retainer just made me more self-conscio...

I had a fixed retainer for a while and honestly, the flossing part drove me nuts. Even with threaders, I’d end up skipping some nights just because it...

Yeah, acetaminophen helps me more too, especially right after wire changes. Ibuprofen didn’t really do much unless I took it before the appointment, w...

Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Had a “temporary fix” as a teen, and it looked fine for like a year… then, surprise, more drilling. Honestly, I’d r...

I get what you’re saying about not stressing every imperfection, but honestly, I can’t quite let go of the details. Maybe it’s just my personality, bu...

Yeah, salt water’s always the go-to in my family too. It’s cheap and feels like you’re doing something, but I’ve never noticed it actually tightening ...

I’ve definitely noticed more gum irritation with braces, especially in spots where it’s tough to get the brush in. I used to think the swelling was ju...

Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the anxiety—it’s like, even if the ortho says missing or rescheduling one appointment won’t ruin anything, it’...

I get the rinsing thing, but my orthodontist warned me that rinsing right after acidic stuff (like OJ or soda) might actually push acid around and wea...

Had a bracket pop off during dinner once—thought I could fix it with wax, but it just slid right off. Ended up cutting my cheek a bit before I could g...

Frozen veggies are underrated for this. I went with corn instead of peas, but same idea—wrapped in a dish towel and swapped it out every half hour. I ...

Honestly, I get the appeal of tracking things yourself, but I’m not sure those photos are all that helpful. I tried using a dental mirror once and eve...

Honestly, I started flossing more because of braces, not because my dentist nagged me. Before that, I’d skip days all the time—some weeks I’d only rem...