Ways to relieve pain caused by braces
Getting to that perfect smile can sometimes be a long and painful experience – especially those first couple of days after having your braces adjusted. However, there are inexpensive and easy ways to deal with the pain that can come with getting your teeth in order. Here are a few helpful tips for dealing with pain, swelling and mouth sores caused by braces.
Pain relievers are an obvious go-to when it comes to relieving pain. Tylenol or Ibuprofen are good choices for this kind of situation. However, what you don’t want to do is take an Asprin as it can cause bleeding. If your mouth has developed sores from the braces, the Asprin can increase the bleeding that you’re already experiencing and make matters worse. It’s also wise to take a pain killer an hour before visiting your orthodontist as it can help relieve the pain in advance.
Speaking of mouth sores, what can you do to avoid these? The first thing that you can do is use dental wax. Dental wax can be applied with your fingers onto the brackets where they’re rubbing against your cheeks or lips to make the edges smooth. Also, if your orthodontist gives you rubber bands, be sure to wear them on the hooks in your braces. This will keep the hooks from digging in and rubbing against the sides of your mouth causing sores and bleeding.
If the sores couldn’t be avoided, there are some ways to ease the discomfort and pain that they cause. Rinsing with salt water will help alleviate the irritation. Try to do this several times per day. Another option is to eat cold food or drink something cold. The coldness will help numb the mouth and ease the pain. Ice cream or cold smoothies will coat the mouth and help temporarily ease the pain. Another option is to suck on ice cubes. Just be sure that you don’t chew the ice as it can cause further irritation and pain. If you’re experiencing a lot of swelling in your mouth, hot or warm liquids can help reduce the swelling. Eating warm soup or sipping on a hot drink are great options for helping that swelling to go down.
Just be sure that you’re paying attention to what you’re eating and drinking. Really acidic drinks and food can cause the sores in your mouth to burn. So stay away from citrus things or things with carbonation such as soft drinks. Also, eat soft foods. Hard and crunchy foods that require a lot of chewing can cause even more discomfort and pain. Remember that some foods may look soft but keep in mind how much chewing is involved.
Thankfully, as uncomfortable and painful as it can be, the soreness and pain will only last for a couple of days or so after having your braces adjusted. The longer that you have them, the more you’ll discover to help alleviate your pain and make the process more bearable. Just keep in mind, after the long road is over, you’ll have a beautiful smile to show for all of your hard work!