Metal Mouth Message Board

Sorry if this is a double post.

Does anyone feel more tired since getting braced? Or am I just getting older?

lol well i am getting really tired of constantly brushing my teeth. I do feel like I have less energy though.

I have a friend who's 25 with braces. At one of his adjustments he said he didn't feel any pain afterwards, just really, really tired. Probably your body's way of compensating.

It seems like the day-day after I go in for an adjustment I get a little frustrated/sad, PLUS my mouth usually hurts..so I tend to sleep a bit more. But, I think that's more emotional then the actual braces/adjustments...lol

hi! I definitely notice a dip in my energy level-even after 1 1/2 years of braces....it takes a lot of constant work everyday....esp. the nightly routine of flossing, brushing, flouride etc.

Or am I just getting older?

I thought I was the only one thinking this cause I'm 30 now....kinda glad it's not just me!

Renee

I'm not sure how to describe how I feel. I tried to describe it to my husband last night but don't think he understood. Most days by the middle of the day my face sort of aches around my mouth. Kind of like if you had to smile all day and you weren't used to it your muscles would ache some. I think it's more my jaw rather than my muscles though. It doesn't hurt but is annoying. I can't quite get my jaw in a comfortable resting position and I think that makes my face tired. I can't bite down because my top teeth hit the bottom brackets but I never kept my mouth entirely closed before either because I breath through my mouth.

I don't know what it is but my face definitely feels tired every day. It's started already today and it's not even 10am yet.

i just got fully braced last thursday and have been exhausted every since. i have no energy what so ever. even when i sleep for hours i still wake up tired. i dont know if there is a connection with getting braced, but ive definitely been more tired this past week.

tandi wrote:i just got fully braced last thursday and have been exhausted every since. i have no energy what so ever. even when i sleep for hours i still wake up tired. i dont know if there is a connection with getting braced, but ive definitely been more tired this past week.

I've felt like that for years. But then again, I've had my braces for over 2 and 1/2 years so I guess it could be connected. Maybe I just didn't realise it at the time.

I don't have my braces on yet, but I wonder if you get tired because your body is having to focus more energy on your changing mouth. You know how you get tired when your sick, it's like the same thing but your body has to deal with constant movement and cell growth around your teeth.

Just an idea
Thanks for the heads up!

I'm tired of doing the same routine day in and day out. Takes forever, but well worth in the end.

Yes, I definitely noticed that my energy levels dropped (almost off the charts they were so low... and I'm 25) after I got my braces on two weeks ago. I was constantly tired and ended up taking a week off from work because I was so exhausted. Part of it I ascribe to the weight loss I went through getting the spacers/braces on... so I have been eating much more than usual and slowly gaining some energy back. Not all of it has returned, though. One strange thing I noticed that helped my energy a lot was drinking milk... not sure why.

Have you ever felt feverish from braces (especially in the evening)?

I haven't had a fever. I just sort of feel like I have less energy. I agree with Kell too that my mouth just feels tired too sometimes like I can't get my mouth comfortable. I wonder if that is why some of us look like our faces are thinner because we have to sort of strain our lips to close over our brackets. It is strange.

Well - I am going to go exercise now. Maybe it will help...

Thanks for all the replies!

I think our tiredness may be related to the chronic nature of braces. That is, I am nearly always aware of them, and am compensating for them all the time. It's kind of like having a kid tapping you on the arm all day long, saying, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy." You know it doesn't really take any physical strength to deal with it, but it mentally exhausts you. Nine months into this project and that's about how I feel about it. I just can't wait to get my surgery done and wrap this up.

I agree that partly it's the "chronic nature" of the braces. I've never had to think this much about my teeth in my life (brushing, rinsing, flossing all the time). My eating has also been majorly restricted, so that takes its toll.

Hmm...that's an interesting topic. I don't think I've felt a drain in energy since braces (except for the really painful first couple of weeks) but I haven't had my first adjustment yet either, so we'll see after that.