The wax is honestly the unsung hero of the whole braces journey, but wow, it really does have a mind of its own. I remember thinking I’d finally figur...
I remember those early weeks—couldn’t stop running my tongue over the brackets, and it felt like I was announcing to everyone in the room that I had b...
That’s been my experience too—kids are creative with toothbrushes, no matter what kind you hand them. I’ve found consistency is more important than th...
Yeah, I totally get the paranoia about breath after certain foods. I’ve found that green tea can help a bit with lingering odors—just swishing it arou...
Honestly, I think that’s totally reasonable, especially with braces in the mix. String floss can be a nightmare with wires. Water flossers might not g...
Timers are a game changer for younger kids, honestly. I’ve seen the same thing—my daughter was just rushing through with a manual brush, but the elect...
That’s pretty much my approach too. I know they market these things as “lifetime” tools, but honestly, after a year or so mine always seem to develop ...
You’re definitely not alone in feeling that way. I’ve had dentists who seemed to think more info was always better, but honestly, it just made me seco...
Cutting food into tiny bits is such a post-braces rite of passage. I still catch myself doing it with apples sometimes, even though my teeth are fine ...
I can relate—mint is just too intense right after oral surgery. I actually switched to a super mild, unflavored toothpaste for a bit, which helped. Lu...
It’s wild how something so routine can feel so mysterious, right? The first time they started calling out numbers, I half expected them to announce a ...
That “chalky” feeling used to drive me crazy too. I remember the first time my hygienist told me to just spit and not rinse, I thought she was joking....
I’ve always found that keeping my head elevated at night makes a surprising difference with swelling, even more than ice sometimes. Curious—has anyone...
Totally get that. I switched to a baby toothbrush after my apicoectomy and it actually made a difference—gentle but still did the trick. Saltwater rin...
I’ve wondered about this too, honestly. My family’s got a weird mix—my dad never had a cavity until he was in his 40s, but my mom and sister seemed to...