Although modern braces are more comfortable to wear, it is normal to experience some discomfort at the beginning of your orthodontic treatment or after an orthodontic appointment where your braces are tightened.
Everyone reacts differently to orthodontic treatment. You may experience mild pressure, while others feel like their teeth are loose or experience irritation due to the brackets rubbing against their cheeks and lips. When you first have your braces placed may be the most uncomfortable, and it may take a week or two to get back to normal.
After a tightening appointment, you may experience a couple of days of discomfort which will go away faster as your treatment progresses.
Below are a few tips to follow to help combat discomfort after your orthodontic appointment:
When you start your treatment and after your tightening appointments, be sure to plan your meals with soft foods like pudding, soup, smoothies, and mashed potatoes to help make eating with sensitive teeth easier.
Drinking cold water will help provide a numbing sensation and help reduce inflammation of your gums to help ease discomfort after a tightening appointment.
You can take an over the counter painkiller like Tylenol at least an hour prior to your orthodontic appointment. This will help ease any pain during the appointment and afterward. Although it is not recommended to take pain pills regularly, over the counter medications can be helpful if other pain relief methods are not working.
Dental wax is a great tool to help ease the irritation caused by the hard brackets or hooks rubbing against the sensitive skin of your cheeks and gums. Use the wax to cover the hooks or brackets that are causing you irritation.
Although it may be tempting to pick at your braces or tamper with them to try to find some relief, it is important to avoid doing so. Picking at your braces could increase your treatment time, damage your teeth, or cause expensive damage to your braces.
It’s important to keep in mind that your mouth is a sensitive place and it will take time to get used to your braces. Be patient and use these tips to help ease any discomfort you may be experiencing. At King Orthodontics, we are dedicated to providing our clients with professional, high-quality orthodontic care. If you have any questions on how to battle discomfort from orthodontic treatment, give us a call!