this thing is murdering my tongue!!

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#1 Post by **niceteeth** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:56 pm

I got a palate expander put in my mouth about a week ago, and I hate it! When I talk my words are slurred and I sound like i'm missing my two front teeth. It takes me twice as long to eat because food keeps getting caught in my expander, and it's hard to shallow. If that wasn't enough, lately the expander has been leaving a constant imprint on my tongue, and my tongue is begining to turn red and it hurts. Is there anyway to relieve tongue from this pain for the next four months. I don't mean to whine, i just thought u guys would understand.

#2 Post by **niceteeth** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 5:28 pm

thanks, I'll try that

#3 Post by **ssfw** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 9:18 pm

I had the same problem when I first had my expander placed.

I found talking slower really helped my speech. For the sore tongue, use the warm saltwater rinses several times a day - that really helped me. Also, initially when my tongue was very sore, even my orthodontist knew that I was in alot of discomfort just by looking at my tongue, the ortho's asst. suggested placing a Q-tip in hydrogen peroxide and swabbing it on the sore areas - it helped alot. When it felt alot better, I just used the warm saltwater rinses. After a few days it felt better and just improved as the days went by. Within about 3-4 weeks, I was at the point that the only time I thought about my expander was when I was eating or brushing my teeth.

I hope you feel better soon.

ssfw

#4 Post by **chlorine23** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 2:55 pm

Amen. I got a TPA that's just murder on my tongue. Wasn't bad at all at first but I think it was because I was so scared to get my tongue near it. But now I've relaxed and my tongue goes back into it's normal spot, which is exactly where the TPA sits. Yikes. I feel your pain. But salt water or peroxide rinses help a little. Not sure what to do about the imprint though, mine is there at least until this thing comes off. Hopefully it isn't permanent.

Funny thing about speech though. I live with my best friend and her little girl. I was reading Dr. Seuss to her, which is a crazy mix of tongue twisters and nonsense words. I feel like I'm taking speech therapy when I read to her.

#5 Post by **Carolinahigh12** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:11 am

I hope you start feeling better soon

#6 Post by **Gennel** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 12:08 pm

I hate expanders! I have a lower expander and mytongue was raw for a long time. I tried putting wax in so many places trying to find the source of my pain! Finally after 2 weeks I found exactly what was cutting up my tongue and put globs of wax. I was healed almost instantly!
I stopped talking for a few days, I used hand signals. It hurt to swallow sooooo bad! I have seen several people here with your type of expander and they found some sort of bandaid that they wrapped around the center part that shreds your tongue up! It worked wonders for them. Maybe someone here remembers the bandaid.

Gennel

#7 Post by **chlorine23** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:02 am

Interesting band-aid trick. I may try that at night. I have to say, if my tongue got some rest at night, everything suring the day would be a lot less painful. That way I don't wake up with the big appliance-shape crevice in my tongue.

Do you think that band-aid leaves adhesive stuff behind on the appliance? And cutting it off with scissors sounds a little scary, but cant be that bad, right?

#8 Post by **iBorg** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:54 am

I know what you're experiencing although my poor speech is a result of a bite plate instead of an expander. One of the perils of wisdom I got was to sing in your car. Do it loud to songs you know the words to. Its great practice and you can focus on the words and not the content. Now I only have problems when I speak in a hurry or are tired. It has become second nature for me to try to swallow excess salvia prior to speaking.

Mike

#9 Post by **citygirl32** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:09 pm

I also just got the palatal expander put in on monday. so believe me im feeling your pain. try rinsing with peroxyl. you should be able to find this at any pharmacy, it works really well for me and it also helps get any food stuck in the expander out. but id much rather just rip the damn thing out, i cant stand talking like this anymore!!!!!!!

#10 Post by **Nat** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:36 am

I got braces and a palate expander fitted 2 days ago and agree it absolutely kills! My orthodontist didnâ€™t explain the procedure very well (not at all) and Iâ€™ve only just figured out the metal thing attached to the roof of my mouth isnâ€™t part of the braces. Iâ€™m going back to see her and have things explained properly but in the meantime does anyone have an idea how long it is supposed to stay on for?

Love the suggestions of salt water treatment for a sore tongue, guess Iâ€™ll be hitting that in a few days!

#11 Post by **niceteeth** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:45 pm

thanks for all the advice. The salt water rinses and peroxide helped. I'm afraid to try the band aid because I still have to turn my key every other day, and that could become a hassle.

#12 Post by **Nat** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:25 am

Hi and thanks for the warm welcome, Iâ€™m the only one of my friends who have taken the plunge with adult braces (they all had their teeth straightened when kids) so itâ€™s good to know Iâ€™m not alone! I have to admit I did feel like playing a hermit for a while until the swelling goes down and I master my speech again but after your advice I think I might reconsider..

I know this might not apply to a lot of you who are much further down the line than me, but to help with the initial discomfort my friend recommend that I cut make up remover pads (the circular ones) and place them against any sores before going to bed, that way they donâ€™t rub during the night and at least a good nights sleep is possible. Not sure if anyone has tried this before? Pads are meant to be best as they are more absorbent than tissue paper but Iâ€™m a bit scared of swallowing anything while sleeping!

#13 Post by **Graceful58** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:05 pm

I'm sympathizing with you all because I'll be joining you at the end of next week when they insert my upper and lower expanders. I'm finding the info on things to do great preparation for when I'm in town to pick up a few of those suggestions that have been posted.

I spent an hour in the chair today just getting the spacers in. The assistant couldn't get them between my tight teeth. I felt like I had been beaten up by the time I walked out there. She was down to getting the last one in and it broke and her hand slipped and hit me in the side of the face...what a shocker and boy did it hurt. A few tears came out of my eyes and she felt so bad...LOL...I was so glad to get up out of that chair. There was a second assistant that helped get the remaining two in and then they all felt so bad they gave me two coupons for free ice cream cones from McDonalds...LOL.

#14 Post by **Zorro4ever** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:13 pm

I got the same thing in and it hurts hella bad! I've had it for almost 1 month and 1/2 and the things literally cutting into my tongue, deep. But after 1 1/2 months of pain I've figured something out. All I wanted was a tongue guard(or to cut off my tongue) to keep the plate expander from cutting my tongue but then I figured it out by looking at a plastic spoon on my bedroom floor. I took a plastic spoon(not the one off the floor) and broke off the handle but not all of it I left a little on the spoon part so that it was easier to grab. I then stuck the spoon in my mouth between my tongue and plate expander with the little bit of handle sticking out. Sweet relief. You can face the scoop part towards your tongue or the expander which ever ways more comfortable with you. But this has worked well and can't wait to get the expander off. Hope this was helpful to all you plate expander havers and if not I hope you figure out a way to relief your tongue.

Side note: you can't really talk with the spoon in your mouth so you'll have to take it in and out to talk but it'll be worth the relief. Also it's hard to swallow but if the scoop part is facing your tongue you can kinda swallow. Also I don't recommend sleeping with this in your mouth. And I'd keep a few extra spoons in your bag just incase you lose your one currently in use.

#15 Post by **taaaaaaash** » Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:00 pm

I got my plate put in about 4 weeks ago and there are huge imprints on my tongue, especially at the back...
My tongue has managed to develop a huge bump in that area and it looks like it has been cut in half due to the imprint of the plate on my tongue. It really hurts a lot. I cant eat, drink and talk...i’m not sure what to do and even pain meds don’t work. My ortho had no concern to what my tongue looked like at all. My teeth also feel wobbly and like they’re about to fall out. I don’t know what to do.

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this thing is murdering my tongue!!

this thing is murdering my tongue!!

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