Chewing to ease discomfort

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#1 Post by **Beckster** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:27 pm

I am now 10 days in of having lower braces for the third time, and was doing pretty well as of a few days ago with pain, etc. Well, yesterday I started experiencing discomfort yet again.

To alleviate the pain, I wet a washcloth with cold water, and chewed on it off and on for a couple of hours. It seemed to work for a while....

My question is, was that as completely inane an idea for pain relief as I think it is?!(sorry for mental lapse on how to word this properly.) Anyone else tried this with any sucess???

Thanks guys!

~Becky

#2 Post by **Katt** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 4:53 pm

I used my bite wafer to help me out. So no you're npt crazy I think we all have our own ways

#3 Post by **ReneG** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:28 pm

I have rubber spacers jammed in between my teeth now. They ache when left alone. They hurt when I chew. I prefer the pain when I chew over the uncontrollable ache. So I chew on the rubber bits that stick out.

#4 Post by **purpleteeth** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:42 pm

My wires are heat activiated, so holding cold water in my mouth tends to help with the pain sometimes.

In terms of chewing, yes it does help me just to force feed foods that aren't mushy. It helps with my pain tolerance and nutrition levels.

I want a bite plate thingie, but I don't know if my ortho has them or not... hmm... I should probably ask at my next appointment in a little over 3 weeks.

#5 Post by **PARR** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:42 pm

Chewing increases blood flow to the gums and teeth. That's good fer them.
I chew orbit gum...doesn't stick to anything metal and is sugar free.

#6 Post by **Zuke** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:25 pm

I chew sugarless gum (Extra was what was recommended to me) and I did chew on the wafer they gave me......

I wanted to chew on EVERYTHING..so whatever makes your teeth feel better, my ortho told me, the more you chew the faster the pain works its way out

Which is GREAT in my book!

Z

#7 Post by **jennielee81** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:25 am

I chewed sugarless gum after most of my adjustments.

It helped tremendously!!

#8 Post by **funshine** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:57 pm

I always want to put pressure on the teeth that are sore. It's kind of odd to say, but it hurts so good. Know what I mean?

#9 Post by **Lisa65** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:45 am

so OK, who's been out and bought a freezable teething ring

I chew sugarless gum (Orbit) if my teeth are sore and it really seems to help.

#10 Post by **melliemoo** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:27 pm

I bought a teething ring the first week. I think it was the third day that was the worst for me. I used it for two days and haven't used it since. It felt so good. The pressure hurt but felt good at the same time. I'm worried about my next adjustment but I'm going take ibuprofen as a prophylatic starting a couple of hours before my adjustment. Knock on wood---my teeth haven't really hurt since that horrible third day.

#11 Post by **Jex** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:01 pm

I got my spacers in last Thursday. They didn't really hurt at first and I must admit, I was like, "what are you guys talking about these things being bad? ya wimps!"

Well, joke's on me. They are a constant irritation. I do sometimes like to bite down on them....why do we do this?

Eating with my molars has been a joke. I now nibble everything with my front teeth like a little squirrel. I can't wait to get these things out, but I also know the braces go on right after they're removed, so to quote Dorothy Parker, "What fresh hell is this???" I'm a little scared right now, can you tell?

#12 Post by **Jex** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:17 pm

thanks for the reassurance. Don't get me wrong---I'd love to lose a little weight from not being able to eat, but this has me a bit nervous. I suppose that is why God let us create analgesics. I need to start looking on here for other things I won't be able to eat and then I'll have a mock funeral for them Monday night.

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Chewing to ease discomfort

Chewing to ease discomfort

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