Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey Everyone - I just got my braces yesterday, and I'm very excited. I've been wanting them for many years and only now am I able to get them at 32 years of age!!
So my main question is this - is it recommended to forgo wax in order to "toughen up" your mouth?? Does this make sense? I haven't had to use wax yet, and I'm wondering if this will help me get used to them quicker...

NO, NO, NO! Do not forgo the wax at all, if you need it. If you don't use it, your sores will not heal. It won't even take long for the wax to work. I got new brackets last week, and the inside of my entire upper lip was being rubbed raw, so as soon as I got home, I put copious amounts of wax on 3 of my upper brackets and kept them in overnight. In the morning, I took them out and everything's been fine since them.

That said, if nothing is hurting you, you don't need to use it. But keep in mind, as your bite changes, you may find different areas of your mouth being affected that weren't affected before. Use it when you need to, but when things start to feel okay, remove it.

Hope this helps...

-Cathy

I'm not convinced that using wax prolongs the toughing up phase. It just makes you more miserable while going though it. Therefore I 100% agree with catgyrl. Use the wax. You will be a lot happier if you do.

I agree with the above noters. I have had my braces a little over a month and I had to use wax. I couldn't imagine not using it an just letting the sore get rubbed more

Wax should be your best friend.

Just as I could not have got through giving birth without copious amounts of drugs I would never have survived braces without lashings of wax on the bad days!

My ortho told me to use it and gave me many free packs of the stuff so I don't believe in toughing it out.

If your mouth hurts, use the wax.

That said, I've never had a need for the stuff. Guess I got lucky.

I have my braces for 11 months now, and I never used the wax. Yes, I had sores, but they were gone in 2-3 days. Maybe I am a less sensitive person when it comes to sores.

I think I used wax maybe once or twice. Guess I tryed to tough it out...don't remember much pain though. I would guess if it is really bothering you then might as well use it right.

I use wax occasionally when the end wires start to poke out and it relieves alot of irritation. I'm wondering how much I've swallowed while eating.

By all means, use the wax if you need it. It has beome a very good friend of mine. I use it on the backs of my top wires when they start to poke, and one lower molar band with a bracket is a killer w/o the wax.

What causes some people to need wax and not?
I've had my braces for a week now, and have not had any soreness at all. I've asked many people for their best advice for me during this prosess and none of them have mentioned wax.

My coil spring makes me use more wax. It tears up my lip something awful. I also use it when my wires start to poke out in the back. I have had a couple of other sore places at various times, but nothing like what the coil spring causes.

Benozodent and Oral B mouthwash are good to help with the sores as well.

LOL I asked the exact same question a couple of months ago when I first got my braces. You can find the thread here. http://archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=35525

Personally, I would not skip the wax. From what I have experienced, the abrasion from the brackets rubs the skin of my inner cheek raw and kind of "toughens it up" for a bit but it does not actually stay that way. In other words, once the rawness fades, the skin is smooth again until the next abrasion; I haven't actually seen any evidence of my skin staying toughened up. The wax is SUCH a relief and I agree with what Catgyrl said, it will take much longer for the rawness to heal without wax. Don't prolong the pain!

I have little containers of wax everywhere: in my purse, on my bathroom counter at home, on my desk at work...

I was having a grand old time chewing sugargree gum yesterday to help alleviate my tooth soreness from last week's adjustment, and I felt like a baby must feel while they're teething. It felt SO GOOD to chomp down on that gum. But I must've been a little too enthusiastic, because all of a sudden the wire on the upper right side started poking my cheek something fierce. I kept the wax on all night, and when I went to brush this morning, I forgot it was in there, and a big chunk of white fell out of my mouth. I thought it was a TOOTH!! That's how quickly the sores heal!

I wonder if the person who invented dental wax is a millionaire many times over??

-Cathy

I never use wax, I've toughed it all out until my mouth and tongue got used to it. However, I got an adjustment last week and the end wire on one side is killing me, so I've broken down and used it