It is very useful to use brackets to have teeth aligned, but the discomfort you will probably experience may discourage or disturb you. This discomfort is related to the response of your body to the pressure on your teeth and can vary depending on your age, your stress levels and your sex. There is no single cure for pain caused by braces, but there are remedies that will relieve pain.
Eat soft foods for the first few days. Most of the pain caused by braces will occur in the first 24 to 72 hours after they are placed on you. During the first few days, eat soft foods that do not need much chewing until you get used to eating with braces. Foods such as soups, applesauce and potatoes are good choices.
Eat cold or frozen foods like ice cream. Ice cream will make your mouth feel relief, as it will numb it. You can also suck ice cubes. Place an ice cube in your mouth near the area where you feel the discomfort. The frozen cube will numb your mouth and reduce any inflammation that may be occurring.
You can also freeze a baby biter and chew it or place it in your mouth. This will also relieve the discomfort.
Do not chew ice or ice cubes, as hard foods can damage brackets and weaken your grip on your teeth.
You can also drink ice water.
Avoid drinks and acidic foods. For example, acidic drinks and foods that contain citrus fruits may make the wounds or other discomfort in your mouth worse. Avoid these foods so as not to irritate your mouth anymore.
Avoid hard or sticky foods. Avoid consuming certain types of food so that your brackets do not break, which would cause more irritation and an additional expense. Hard or sticky foods, such as potato chips, dried meat, nuts and chewy candies can damage your brackets.
Do not bite hard objects, such as pens, pencils or ice cubes.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Analgesics such as acetaminophen can relieve the discomfort caused by braces. Take one dose of acetaminophen (usually two tablets) every four hours…
Follow the instructions on the label to consume the correct dose.
You can also take ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen, but some dentists and orthodontists do not recommend it, as they can slow down the process in which your teeth straighten. Do not consume both medications, choose one! If you need advice related to orthodontists visit here Align beauty Orthodontics.
Use a topical anesthetic to numb the area with pain. There are many over-the-counter medications available that can numb the mouth area with discomfort. These are the usual anesthetics that numb the area with pain for a few hours, and come in the form of mouthwashes and gels. Products like Oradell and Colgate or abase can alleviate your discomfort.
Follow the packaging instructions to apply it properly. Some people experience allergic reactions when using these products, so be sure to check the instructions before using them.
Rinse your mouth with salt water. Salt water will soothe your mouth and treat any wound that has arisen due to the contact of the brackets with your cheeks. To prepare a salt water rinse, pour a teaspoon of table salt into a glass of warm water. Beat to dissolve all the salt. Put some of this mixture in your mouth and rinse it carefully for a minute, then spit it in the sink.
Repeat several times a day, especially during the first days and when you feel more pain than usual.
Rinse your mouth with diluted hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic and can reduce the inflammation that irritates your mouth. Mix water with 3% hydrogen peroxide in a glass. Put some of this mixture in your mouth and rinse it carefully for a minute, then spit it in the sink. Repeat it a couple of times a day.
There are products based on hydrogen peroxide (such as Colgate Proxy mouthwash) sold in stores and pharmacies that are designed to treat wounds in the mouth and relieve discomfort.
The taste of hydrogen peroxide may be unpleasant for some people, as can the foam that inevitably forms when you rinse your mouth.
Put an orthodontic wax in your mouth. Orthodontic wax or dental wax is used as a barrier between the brackets and the inside of your mouth. This is available in pharmacies; it is likely that your orthodontist gave you some when the braces were placed.
To get the wax, take a small piece and give it the shape of a small pea. This will also make the wax hot and easier to place. Use a handkerchief to dry the area of the brackets where you want to place the wax and press it directly on the wire or bracket. Repeat as many times as necessary.
Use the elastic bands that come with your brackets. These small elastic bands are placed around your brackets and help to align them with your jaw in a certain way. These can help reduce the time needed to straighten your teeth; therefore, using them is definitely beneficial. Your orthodontist may ask you to use them as long as possible, except when you eat or brush your teeth, and replace them frequently.
In general, these elastic bands can cause discomfort, especially in the first days after the braces are placed. However, they will because you more discomfort if you are not used to using them. If you only use them a couple of hours a day or a few times a week instead of using them all the time, you will experience more discomfort.
Use braces for a trial period before visiting the orthodontist. You are expected to feel some pain when the braces are put on for the first time. However, if you continue to feel intolerable pain after a few weeks, you should visit the orthodontist to have you checked and asked questions.
Ask the orthodontist to loosen your brackets. If the pain caused by the brackets is very intense, they may be very tight. Having tighter braces will not necessarily make them work better or that your teeth straighten out faster. Ask the orthodontist for his opinion on how tight you should have the braces.
Have the orthodontist cut the wires protruding from your brackets. Occasionally, you will find short ends of wire in the brackets that will protrude and rub against the inside of your cheek. These can be very uncomfortable and can cause injuries in the mouth. If you have this problem, ask the orthodontist to cut the ends of these wires and you will feel immediate relief.
Ask to be prescribed a medication with higher concentration or some other treatment. The orthodontist may prescribe a stronger dose of ibuprofen if over-the-counter medications do not seem to work.
The orthodontist may also recommend other treatments, such as the use of bite waxes. This is a product that you must bite for a few minutes several times a day. The movement of the bite helps to encourage the circulation of blood in your gums, which can relieve pain.
Ask about other strategies to reduce pain or discomfort. The orthodontist could give you recommendations that will help you determine a control plan for your specific case and pain. He has worked with many different people and has seen a variety of different remedies that have had an effect on patients.
Determine what the right time is. You do not have a lot of flexibility to schedule your schedule for an appointment to readjust your brackets. But if it is the opposite, schedule it for a day in which you do not have to deliver important works or do not have to perform activities that require concentration. Try to schedule an appointment for the end of the day, so that you can go home and rest immediately afterwards.
Buy soft foods your mouth will feel sensitive again for a few days after you readjust or adjust your braces. You should eat soft foods such as mashed potatoes, pudding, soups and similar foods for a few days
Take an analgesic before the appointment. Take an acetaminophen tablet before the appointment to take effect during the appointment. In this way, the pain and discomfort will diminish immediately. Take another painkiller 4 to 6 hours after the first one to continue controlling your pain.
Express your doubts to the orthodontist. This is the right time to tell the orthodontist about the problems you have with your braces or if you suffer from headaches or wounds in the mouth that do not heal. You may need other adjustments to alleviate or treat these problems.