For anyone who has concerns about getting braces put on, let us put your mind at ease. It’s not a painful process at all, so no need to worry. That said, the truth of the matter is that you may feel some level of soreness and discomfort after getting them put on. So what can you do to deal with that?
The pressure the braces exert on your teeth can leave your mouth feeling a little tender. That can make eating as you normally would a little extra challenging. You’ve probably heard that you should be careful about what you eat when you have braces to avoid damaging them, but that’s not the only reason to be selective. Choosing to eat softer foods during the first few days after your braces have been put on can make it easier to eat with minimal discomfort.
As you might imagine, suddenly having a bunch of metal or ceramic rubbing against the soft tissues of your mouth could result in some discomfort. Until your mouth gets used to the braces, you may find it helpful to use dental wax to cover areas that are rubbing a lot. The smooth surface of the wax protects your mouth from being rubbed by the braces and can easily be applied and removed. Make sure to clean your teeth well before applying it and then take it out when cleaning your teeth later so you can get to every part of your tooth.
Most of the time, everything goes as it should when your braces get put on. That said, sometimes archwires will end up poking your mouth. That’s not something you should have to live with. If you notice wires poking at your mouth, or if it seems like your braces are damaged, be sure to talk to your orthodontist so it can get fixed as soon as possible.
Your teeth are pretty well used to being right where they’ve been for your whole life up until this point. You can understand, then, why they might be a little stubborn about moving to a new position, which can cause some discomfort and soreness. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to keep yourself as comfortable as possible while your teeth get adjusted. Just give yourself a few days to adjust and you’ll be right as rain.
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