How to Prevent Braces Pain

Having braces put on your teeth will ultimately result in a straight, beautiful smile, however, there are some troubling pains that come along with the orthodontic work. Brackets coming loose, a wire popping out and sticking you in the side of your mouth and teeth pain from having the wires tightened are three of the problems that will more than likely affect all patients who wear braces. There are some ways to cope with the pain as you progress towards a gorgeous grin.

Things You'll Need

• Pain reliever
• Dental wax
• Numbing rinse
• Salt water

Show More

Instructions

Alleviating the Pain

• 1

  Eat only soft foods or liquids at first. At the initial appointment, when the braces are first put on your teeth, it is common that you will feel very sore in your mouth area for two to three days, as your teeth begin shifting. Soft foods will keep you from chewing too much, as this will only aggravate the pain. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil to temporarily relieve your soreness. If the pain is still intense after the third day, contact your orthodontist for an examination.

• 2

  Apply dental wax to any poking wires or brackets. The orthodontist will supply you with dental wax, which can be used on any trouble spots you may have. Once your mouth has adjusted to the braces, you will not seem to notice this anymore.

• 3

  Purchase an over-the-counter numbing product such as Orabase Soothe and Seal or Peroxyl rinse, both of which can be purchased at a grocery or drug store. According to Dr. James May, an orthodontist, you may develop sores in your mouth from the brackets rubbing against it. A warm salt water rinse is also effective on sore spots in the mouth.

• 4

  Avoid eating hard or sticky foods such as nuts, ice, gum and corn on the cob, as these foods are likely to pull off a bracket, which can result in a wire becoming loose and poking you in the mouth.