Metal Mouth Message Board

Fourth adjustment yesterday, and got those wonderful elastics. Diagonally both sides upper front to lower back 24-7, and an elastic in front diagonally upper left to lower right (at night only) to correct about an eighth of an inch mis-alignment. Needless to say I couldn't sleep last night and Tylenol is not touching it. I know it will be good in a few days, but as an older guy I'm about ready to cry home to momma....

Since I've asked about this before, I'll ask again!

What does it mean to "toughen your mouth"? Does salt water have a residual effect? I couldn't find it before, including looking for everything on Google that I could find. I certainly agree that it helps heal mouth sores (and sore mouths), but I'm still wondering about the residual effect.

And, I'm assuming that salt water rinses have only a surface effect. It always seems to me that there are two types of pain associated with braces. The first is more of a mechanical effect - something rubbing on your moutn (could be the wire, the bracket, elastics, ...) that is causing irritation and pain. The second is the effect of having your teeth, including the roots, move. This is the one that I think people are referring to when they say that it feels like getting hit in the face with a baseball bat. And, it sounded to me like this was what MrKadash was experiencing. Doe salt water help with this? I know that salt water can help relieve swelling, which might be causing the pain, but can it do anything else?

Still wondering, just trying to learn more!

Great point Betty, I have wondered the same thing. I appreciate your input KIWI, and I have used salt water rinses in the past, but find it has no effect on the actual pain one feels from the actual moving of the teeth in the jawbone. That is the pain I am referring to in my first post. Salt water rinses for me have had great effect on sores created from mechanical rubbing on gums and cheeks so far....

MrKadash, I found the first 24 hours in elastics to be the worst. It's just that your jaws are not used to this new force being applied. In the interests of getting a good night's sleep, I took a (homeopathic) painkiller at that time, the first (and probably last) I've taken during treatment.

By day two I was OK with them.

I have found that ibuprofen works better for the type of pain you are referring to than tylenol. And I know others have suggested drinking something cold will bring some relief.

Hope you feel better soon and let us know if you find something that works for you. I have elastics looming in my future and am not looking forward to the pain.

C.

cbushnaq wrote: I have elastics looming in my future and am not looking forward to the pain.

C.

I was a bit like you, expecting pain with elastics. As it turned out, once I got used to them there was no pain. But there's been plenty of gain!

I, too, have known the elastics pain! It's like something is just pushing against your mouth continuously. It's not bad, but it wears you down after a while.

But, today, I got very good news at the ortho's office. After having elastics since May, now I only have to wear them at night. YAY!

When in doubt, take painkillers. Lots and lots of painkillers.

Well, I complain to the ortho if the elastics are too much and he gives me lighter ones and then I gradually build up to the heavier ones.