Metal Mouth Message Board

So it will be a week tomorrow that I've been braced. My orth recommended listerine but I've been reading that people say it makes you dry so I've started to half it with water. My mouth is still very dry and my lips are crying for chapstick every 10 minutes. Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations to make this better? I also feel like I have stuff oozing out the corners of my mouth even though it isn't.

Hi Nanhut and welcome. You might try using Biotene mouth rinse as it will help with the dryness. Sometimes when I was having a problem, I would use the Listerine (cut in half like you), brush my teeth and then rinse with the Biotene. If there is something that you could suck on, like a soft sugarfree mint, that might help too. I think if you get your mouth moist, the lips might follow?

Good luck.

Hi Nanhut
I understand what you are going thru. I have had my braces on now for 2 weeks and the dry mouth and dry lips are finally going away. I was putting chapstick on like every five minutes. It was terrible. Now its only needed about twice or three times a day. As for the mouth dryness, I have just been drinking alot of water. It helps. As for mouthwash I use citrus flavored listerine and do not have the dry mouth problem as I did using the regular listerine.

Thanks Rogers and Attagirl2. I'm going to take your recommendations and pick up some other products. I'm hoping that things will settle down. I don't go back to the ortho for 5 more weeks. Seems like a long time. Is that typical? 6 weeks in between appts? I'm not sure.

My first adjustment is scheduled 5 weeks after I had my braces put on. I am having wisdom teeth pulled in 1 1/2 weeks and 2 teeth exposed. I'm a little nervous. I have that done on a Tuesday and the following Monday is my first adjustment. I'm sure my mouth is going to be really sore.

Here are some previous posts from people experiencing the same thing:



I experience this problem a lot, and find that the Biotene products (toothpaste and mouthwash) help a lot, since they don't contain SLS.

The best way to keep your lips moist, I've found, is to make sure you're very well hydrated. For the past few years I make sure I drink a lot of water and my lips, which were perpetually chapped, became smooth. I have always used lip balm. I'm from Colorado where it's really dry, but the water is better. This is going to be a real problem now that we can't bring liquids/gels onto planes. Planes are notoriously dry, and I can't use the lip balm, can't bring in water. I travel about 50% in my job, so I've decided I'm going to ask for a full bottle of water (or at least 2 glasses) when the cart comes around. I'm going to the UK Tuesday, and I'm wondering how this will affect my lips.

tons of water and burt's bees lifeguard's choice lip balm. it's thick but not disgustingly waxy and will help keep your newfound moisture in.

http://www.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... tegory=yes

i used to always have super-dry lips and this helped without being too thick and waxy or shiny and glossy.

I found some at the local Cracker Barrel and I love LOVE LOOOOVE it!!

(Although that may change when I actually get my braces on.)

Attagirl2 wrote:Hi Nanhut and welcome. You might try using Biotene mouth rinse as it will help with the dryness. Sometimes when I was having a problem, I would use the Listerine (cut in half like you), brush my teeth and then rinse with the Biotene. If there is something that you could suck on, like a soft sugarfree mint, that might help too. I think if you get your mouth moist, the lips might follow?

Good luck.

3 days in, and I've noticed my mouth is dryer than 'normal' esp in the morning..... I just got some Biotene tonight and rinsed....we'll see how that helps overnight! Thanks for the suggestions!!!!

It sure is nice to know I am not the only one suffering from excessively dry lips. I have chapsticks of various types everywhere. I even wake up in the middle of the night to drink water and put chapstick on. Luckily things are starting to get better.

Good luck!

KK is right. It's best to stay hydrated. I try to drink about 2-3 litres/day and find it makes a big difference. Vaseline is also good to use as a lip balm and it seems to last longer than the chap stick stuff.

I use Peroxyl mouthwash instead of Listerine, the alcohol in Listerine makes my mouth SO dry, it's almost painful.

I really don't like the taste of the Bactine products, the peroxyl is very mild and really helps with the sores I get sometimes - the taste of saltwater makes me gag terribly so Peroxyl is my mainstay for keeping things clean.

I can only speak to the chapped lips. My son had an appliance in his mouth for about 6 months and chap-stick did not work for him. His lips seemed to get really chapped, especially at night. So I started using medicated lip balm on his lips at night and during the day. That helped his lips stay moist and healed the "cracked and redness" of his lips. You can buy it from most anywhere. It normally comes in blue and yellow little canister or in a tube. He has his appliance off and still uses it. I use it in the morning before I brush my teeth and then during the day I just use my regular lip gloss.

I've noticed that I drink a lot more water since being braced. Not just because of the dryness, but often times at lunch I'll chug a bunch of ice water trying my best to rinse out any food that might be embarrassingly stuck, because I have this fear of accidentally spitting food at my lunch dates! It helps until I can get to a toothbrush. I have lip balm in about every pocket and drawer around me, just in case! Also, my little travel kit that I keep in my purse includes lip gloss & mouth wash. You just can't be covered enough.

I am a recent newbie to braces and find that my mouth stays dry and therefor my cheeks stick to my braces. I noticed that some say to drink lots of water and dilute the mouth wash but is there any mouth wash that you can buy that you don't have to dilute? I prefer full strength to make sure that i am getting all of the benefits. My lips aren't as dry as i thought they would be but then again i don't have my top braces on yet. Will that change once i get those on?