Metal Mouth Message Board

Just got my braces yesterday, yay!

The insides of my cheeks and lips are very sore from the braces rubbing against them. If I don't put wax on, will they toughen up?

They will toughen up if you don't use wax, but you'll be pretty miserable if you go that route. Why deal with sores if you don't have to? Wear wax when you're at school or work and take it out to eat and brush and you should be ok after a few days. I've been in braces for a year and still use wax occasionally, including now with my new surgical hooks on my arch wires. There's no shame in using wax.

I just got braced last week and I had terrible cheek sores for about 3 days. All better now and I only used wax for maybe 1 day total after I got my braces put on. I didn't want to baby it either...so i toughed it for the most part.

I used wax a lot in the first days ant they still toughened up. you don't need to be in pain. i haven't used wax for 4 months now but the first days were really bad. but even if you need the wax for longer just use it, it is your friend. especially if you need to talk in your job you ll find it impossible

Awesome, thanks much everyone!

Oh my god. You guys. Wax is the best thing ever. I was wrong to doubt the magic of the wax. Thank you for showing me the light.

ZiziOConnor wrote:Oh my god. You guys. Wax is the best thing ever. I was wrong to doubt the magic of the wax. Thank you for showing me the light.

Wax is your friend, for sure! My poor cheeks never toughened up but, as the wires got thicker, it's not been a problem. However, if there is ever a prob again, wax will cure it, i'm sure!

T xx

Your mouth will definitely toughen up either way, but without wax just sounds like unnecessary torture to me! I haven't needed wax for a while now, but for the first couple of weeks it was essential. Regular warm salt water rinses really help with any sores also.

Good luck

I bought so much wax in the early days of treatment -- my ortho also handed it out in generous amounts. I kept a stash at work, in various rooms in my house, my computer bag, you name it. I was paranoid that my favorite brand (GUM) would be discontinued so I went a little crazy. Heck I have nearly an entire shelf devoted to my collection of orthodontic knick knacks (meticulously organized ) including extra elastics, tongue scraper do-dads, mini tubes of toothpaste, travel toothbrushes of various brands, and on and on. I'm out of my braces for one week today so at some point I may need to reassign that space to something else but for now I enjoy watching it collect dust.

[quote="djspeece"]I have nearly an entire shelf devoted to my collection of orthodontic knick knacks (meticulously organized :roll: ) including extra elastics, tongue scraper do-dads, mini tubes of toothpaste, travel toothbrushes of various brands, and on and on. I'm out of my braces for one week today so at some point I may need to reassign that space to something else but for now I enjoy watching it collect dust.[/quote]

Congrats on finishing your treatment!!

I know what you mean. I have a shelf in the bathroom with my stuff on it too. Waterpik, 3 types of floss, threaders, case of wax, various brushes and scrubbers, a backlit magnifying mirror (makes flossing easier). I need a good mouthwash too.

I keep finding little packs of wax all over the place!

T xx

I'm two weeks in and tried to use the wax once and it failed so I haven't used it since. Also feels like something is in my mouth.

Personally, it works better if you alternate between wearing and not wearing wax. As in wear it for a day, don't wear it the next. That way, your lips get irritated the day you don't wear the wax but then when you do wear the wax, your lip has time to heal (and thus toughen up) instead of it just being rubbed off all over again. It also gives you a little break.
But, with that being said, don't do anything you can't handle. If it's giving you too much pain, use the wax. If you function normally without it, don't use it.

[quote="overthewater"]Personally, it works better if you alternate between wearing and not wearing wax. As in wear it for a day, don't wear it the next. That way, your lips get irritated the day you don't wear the wax but then when you do wear the wax, your lip has time to heal (and thus toughen up) instead of it just being rubbed off all over again. It also gives you a little break.
But, with that being said, don't do anything you can't handle. If it's giving you too much pain, use the wax. If you function normally without it, don't use it.[/quote]

Thanks, this is what I'm doing. It's working well!

I wax at night or else my gums grow into the brackets like a tree growing into a fence.