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my gums have been bleeding a bit when i brush. with the naked eye at the base of certain teeth, there is some blood just under the gum. i have been looking for other posts that might mean this is not too strange in some of the other forums but not sure what i've found. i figure it might be one or both of 2 things:
1. i did brush very hard, the evening, night and morning before the braces were fitted (to be sure i had extra clean teeth)
2. the tension the moving teeth is creating just aggravates no. 1 more
this afternoon after work, i went and got new mouthwash, oral-b (as opposed to the alcoholic aquafresh that was burning my tender gums, piks (heard about them from posts here! lol), listerine essential toothpaste (to use at night in particular, the regular and less expensive kinds will suffice during the day!) and guess what - a new soft toothbrush, kids soft - as adults soft is still making my gums bleed. havent used it yet but hope it's easier on me. it hurts so badly, i've been tempted not to brush and only floss and use mouthwash!
Last edited by diande on Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months
Diande, Cogratulations on becoming another Metal Mouth Member!!.Hope all goes well with your treatment and your gums and teeth are feeling better.Please remember salt water rinses and plenty of lip gloss and wax if needed. I've had mine on for two weeks now and I have noticed movement already and my soreness in my teeth and gums are all but gone.
Tin Indian-over and out
Spacers Placed on Sept 5, 2006
Spacers Re-placed on Sept 12, 2006
Upper and Lower Bands Placed on Sept 14, 2006
Upper Metal Braces Placed on Sept 14, 2006
1st Adjustment on October 18, 2006
2nd Adjustment on November 28, 2006
Lower Metal Braces on November 28, 2006
I started following this topic as I got my braces a day after the originator of the topic. Mine were installed on the 14th. So far I've been able to eat reasonably well but I get tired of trying to take small bites and finally say to heck with it and letting the rest of the meal go. This morning I was able to eat a breakfast bar on my commute to work. Normally I eat two but after one I decided I didn't have the desire to spend ten minutes eating the second one. I also found it amazing the amount of food debris I collected. I'm sure when I get my bottom and a bite plate, that problem will only get worse.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
I had my bottom metal braces put on a week ago, but I got the metal top on the 13th. I'm glad they're on now, and I'm finally in the process of getting a nice smile. I guess I need to switch to a softer brush because my gums have been bleeding when I brush. I'll stop by the store and get a kiddie brush. Also, I used Crest alcohol-free mouthwash yesterday and for some reason, some of the blue residue got stuck in my brackets! Has anyone else run into this?????? Maybe I'll get blue ligs next time.. they looked really neat.
iborg and Cablindian its nice to meet up with ppl who are almost at the same place as me in the braces process
i understand all the drama with taking way too long to eat, lol. today i've only had potato! breakfast - mashed potatoes (call me crazy), lunch -shepherds pie and a piece of potato pie. it's been such a great change from the pain of trying to chew even noodles!
iborg: you dont know how lucky you are to be able to eat a breakfast bar!
cablindian: aquafresh(w/ alcohol) used to leave blue little smidgeons between some of my teeth and even on the arch wire and i would have to use the interdental brush to remove it afterwards. i switched to oral b anticavity fluoride rinse(no alcohol and so no burning of my tender gums) and although its also blue, i have never had the problem. the blue leftovers seem, to me, to be the result of some sort of coagulation process and because it has never happened with oral b, i figure it wasnt just one of those that KK mentioned which show up places that need to be cleaned better.
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months
Last night after a day that went without any new experiences, two brackets on the lower front teeth started to cut into the inner side of my lips. So, i had to use wax for the first time.
The strangest thing was that it wasn't the side brackets that caused this problem - as even the ortho mentioned most likely to cause irritation. And this is even more weird because the lower front teeth are supposed to be being pushed back a bit and so i dont know why they would suddenly be such a problem to my inner mouth as if they were coming forward...
Last edited by diande on Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months
In my case, I have only tops. Last night I had to put wax on the hooks. I guess things are moving as my bite definetly feels different.
Let's all keep our spirits UP, this is for the better.
Mike
I wore braces (this time) for 1294 days or 3 years, 6 months and 17 days.
But who's counting?
Jaw Surgery June 1, 2009
Thanks for praying for me and thinking happy thoughts.
So apparently my process is a bit different than everyone else's here, as I saw the comment about it being such a short time from the molds to the bracketing...my molds and brackets are being done at the same appointment. I've already gone in and had the xrays and pictures, consult, etc thought. I'm at my 4 more days mark, and figured I'll spend the next few days eating all the wonderful things I won't be able to once I get the brackets. BTW....I notice on my ortho's website that popcorn is on the restricted list?? I just about live on popcorn:(
Higgy, I strongly second that notion! Eat with appreciation all the things you love now that you wont be able to eat after the braces go on!
There are great tasting softer and safe foods to eat even with braces but there is that issue of always having to plan and prepare and sift what u can or cannot eat which robs u of more than some delicious food stuff, but interrupts that sense of spontaneity and just being able to have whatever u want to eat, snack on etc
iborg you are right, a positive attitude keeping the end in mind, makes the discomfort more than worth it. Last night I was talking to someone about a friend of hers who had her teeth fixed by the same ortho as I have. The person had similar probs as I do (spaces and overbite) but which were far worse. Anyway I was told that her teeth which are now done are beautiful and look really good. That inspired me so much!
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months
I cannot yet understand how anyone could get away with having popcorn at the stage I'm at! That sounds like a cleaning nightmare to me
I'm on day 5, and yes, the pain is gone except when I eat because the last bracketed right molar is probably absorbing the pressure of being the anchor for the other moving teeth. That's my guess anyway.
By the way I am still eating only soft things, like bread, noodles, muffins, I still won't attempt tearing food or biting with the front uppers.
One last thing: I don't know if this is wishful thinking, but I'm think I see changes in my bite already. It feels different too...but my whole mouth feels different so I can't be sure about that
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months
I'm so addicted to popcorn! I hope you're right kiwi, that it may be possible to eat it....but my ortho is pretty adamant about it, says that the braces cause the gaps between the teeth and the gums to increase and the popcorn kernels just tend to cause infection.....I'll ask him more about it on Wednesday when he puts the braces on.
Last night I dreamt about my braces ...well I dreamt one little thing about it. I could see my lower front teeth and one of them had started to rotate halfway to the opposite direction It was very strange and I'm happy to see that it was just a dream. Pretty strange huh
I just can't wait till I get to some meaningful marker such as "1st Adjustment"...Patience patience patience
Upper and lower bonded retainers; Upper Hawley for night time
DEBANDED ON FRIDAY 15TH AUGUST 2008 - FINALLY!!!
Braced on 13 September 2006 - Ceramic upper and lower brackets - Estimated time was 12 Months