Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi Everyone,

I'm really new to this board and the whole ortho thing.... I only had my braces fitted on Tuesday.

I'm a bit embarassed as I'm having trouble sorting the wax out!

It doesn't seem to stay on! It just falls off.... I'm having the worst trouble trying to fit it around a metal bar (linking my 2 upper back teeth with plastic pad on the roof of my mouth) that is slicing my tongue up at the back! It doesn't seem to want to stay put!

Another question - How long is the tiny little pot supposed to last for? It doesn't look like it will last that long. How easy is it to buy when I run out?

Any advice much appreciated!

Thanks

LUCY (UK)

try to get your mouth dry...dry as possible in the area you'd like to apply wax...it should stay on better that way. Hard to get wax to stay on a wet area.
Or you may want to try a different brand of wax...easy to find at a wal-mart, rite aid, walgreens...etc--in the toothbrush aisles

key for me was getting the area dry...Good luck!

When you go to the pharmacy, try to buy a couple different brands. You will see a difference between them and may find one that stays on good. My ortho gave me cheap wax that was hard to spread! :( But I was able to find better brands at the pharmacy :wink: .

Anyone have any insight on how harmful it is to swallow wax? I keep forgetting I'm wearing some when I eat and oops, the wax just disappeared! I've put both kinds through my system: the traditional kind of "waxy" wax and the silicone kind. [*Burp!* Sorry about that.]

Dealing with wax is a learned skill, but you'll get the hang of it with practice. Giving it kind of a wrap around the side of a bracket or hook sometimes help. Wax can be a real life saver. And it's so nice and low tech!

On the question of swallowing wax -- I think pretty much everything they use in orthodontics is stuff that's safe to swallow, or they wouldn't be able to use it with children. I know for sure that wax is OK.

Does anyone use wax on the back of there alst tooth? That's the hardest place to put it (upper arch). It's tough to get it to stay. I try to get it to cover the end of the wire that pokes out a bit. So painful!

Kiwi, thanks for the advice!!! I def. find "the more wax" the better it stays.

Hey guys,

I don't know about you, but I really like the silicone because it is less visible and doesn't look like you have something stuck in your brackets but I find it does not stick as well....anyone else find that too?

Thanks Meryaten!

I also find that if my fingertips are a little wet it helps so the wax doesn't stick to my fingers when I am trying to apply it.

i LOVE silicone wax, i can get it to stick to wet teeth even, all you have to do is work it in your hand until it get nice and warm. Then you just have to stick the little ball ( doesnt take as much silicone wax as it does waxy wax) where you want it, close your mouth and creat a vacuum with your mouth, that will push it on there pretty good, and if there's anything left to do it shouldnt matter whether the place you put it in was dry or not, just mold it around the bracket with your finger.
hope with helps!!!

I have one of those 'parrafinn wax baths" that you to dip your hands down into...makes your hands soft when you peel the wax off. It takes a big solid chunk of wax and heats it until it is a liquid. Anyway, I dip my finger into the hot wax and hub it onto my brackets. It stays forever.....and it is clear too.

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