About wax- new to braces

[TanyaS]

Hi all!
I've just gotten upper and lower linguals yesterday, my orthodonstist has recommended keeping them packed with wax along entire length of them for first 5 days.
While this is all good, it takes SO long to get the wax off! I've just used a dental pick and it's taken almost an hour to get it out just so I could brush my teeth!
I'll be going back to work tomorrow, and as an Emergency department nurse, really don't have the time to be taking so long to clean them after meals!

Is it necessary to take wax off fully to clean them each time in initial days?
And is it ok to keep wax on while eating? Have only had weetbix and shakes so far...

Any advice in being able to get wax off faster?

Thanks for any feedback, much appreciated!

[allycat]

Hi....I got top and bottom linguals fitted on friday!! How r u coping? I wasnt told to use wax all over just the parts that were irritating too much for my tongue to cope with! I have put wax on the bottom back right and at the front on the bottom as these places seem to cut my tongue up the most. I actually have an ulcer on the back of my tongue!

I was told by my orthodontist its perfectally ok to keep the wax in whilst eating and its safe if you swallow it by accident! I dont have any tips for getting it off though...I have found it hard as well! Perhaps you can try just putting it on the areas that are sore while your mouth adjusts?

How are you coping with eating and talking so far?

[jo3121]

Hi, I had mine fitted today. Top only until I get used to it then I'll have the bottom fitted.

I've put wax on the very back and then on one spot half way down where it was catching my tongue. I kinow what you mean about getting it off though - took my ages, I think part of the problem is that I can't the difference between what should and shouldn't be there at the minute!

Be interested to here how you're getting on eating. I had some soup earlier with chickpeas which was fine but it also had spinach in it, that took a fair amount of time to remove!

[TanyaS]

Thanks for your replies Allycat and Jo3121

I think I'll just try waxing only the areas at the back of my teeth today, sounds a lot easier Although my tongue is doing really well with wasx along the entire brace, don't have any ulcers yet....

Hmmm, talking and eating.....
I've got a slight lisp, not too bad, but definitely noticeable to me!
There's a passage on the net called Rainbow passage, read it out loud at home, helps heaps with speech http://web.ku.edu/~idea/readings/rainbow.htm

As for food, the most adventurous I've been so far is a chilli prawn risotto- gave away most of the prawns except for a couple which I cut up really small, and pretty much inhaled the food without chewing

Had no pain the first day, but teeth getting really sore since last night- kills to even brush them! Pain should be over soon tho

How are you both going so far?

[McLovin]

I've just gotten upper and lower linguals yesterday, my orthodonstist has recommended keeping them packed with wax along entire length of them for first 5 days.

I have to admit that that advice sounds bizarre to me. My own dentist did not give me any such advice. And I went without wax for days until the wire in the back began poking out when the teeth became more compact. And that's when I used small pieces of wax for small places.

As for eating them, that's not a concern at all.

I hope everything goes well for you.

[allycat]

To be honest my braces have felt so much better today, am only wearing wax in one place and i dont think i need that really. apart from the ulcer at the back, which i think may have happened at the fitting anyway as the ortho was poking it with wire!, i havent had any other ulcers just general soreness!

My teeth soreness has eased up a bit as well, although chewing makes it ache again, i managed to eat some pizza yesterday....i was so happy lol and gonna try curry tonight so am getting there with the eating. just speech which is hard, am lisping alot so am gonna try that rainbow thing above!

[KJK]

Welcome to the world of Linguals! I've had mine for 15 months now and don't regret getting them at all even though I was initially nervous and did struggle with the speech (which is mostly back to normal -- I notice that I only struggle when I have a really dry mouth, mainly from drinking coffee).

Anyway, as for the wax -- for me, it got to the point where I just left it on when I ate for the same reasons mentioned. And I brushed my teeth when the wax was on as well (not a lot of wax remaining but I knew some was there). I only really got rid of it all when I flossed.

There are no harmful effects for swallowing the wax.

Hope that helps.

Kevin

[TanyaS]

Thanks so much for your replies everyone!

allycat- Glad to hear ur able to eat a bit more now! The whole soft food diet gets a bit bland after a while hey!

kevin- thanks, it sure is a completely new feeling having linguals on! Glad to hear that your travelling well though. How long did it take until you could chew on some foods normally?

teach- Good luck with getting your braces on, hope it all goes well for you!

[teach]

Hi everyone,

Alleycat, how has the lisping been for you?

TanyaS: Any input on the lisping at this point? I do a lot of public speaking and more nervous about lisping than any pain.

[TanyaS]

Hi teach,
well, I'm only in early days, so do have a bit of a lisp still unfortunately...
Was pretty embarrassing at work, working in the emergency department I have to talk to a LOT of people, so my mouth was not only getting quite tired and sore, but the longer I was there yesterday, the more pronounced my lisp got :/
I just ended up telling most people that I'd just had braces put on, that way I wasn't so self conscious about the lisp
I think the more we practice speaking though, the easier it will get...

[Lynne]

Hi,

Congratulations on getting your linguals, you won't regret it

I am a few months further down the line with linguals. I found the lisping really hard as I have to talk a lot at work. My orthodontist kept reassuring me it would dissappear but I didn't believe her as I couldn't seem to control it at all - but she was right - all of a sudden I seemed to adapt and the lisp went! (took about a month!!!). Keeping your mouth moist seems to really help. I only lisp now if I have a dry mouth, if I'm over tired or drink alcohol

Anyway, good luck with your journey

[TanyaS]

Hi Lynne,

Thanks for your reply. Oh, I'm glad that the lisp settled down for you, it gets you down a bit, wondering if you'll be talking with the lisp all the time now, hey.
How about eating? Do you find that you can chew things like chicken etc now? I don't have any high hopes for eating steak in the next couple years

[Lynne]

Hi Tanya,

I really hoped I'd struggle with eating so that I'd loose a few pounds
Unfortunately (it's a good thing really), I've managed to cope with most foods. I do find soups, pasta, omlettes etc easier. I manage chicken fine and have even had a small steak. Only problem is it took so long to eat (twice as long as my husband) and I couldn't really chew it, just swallowing small lumps, so I don't think I'll rush to have another one. The main thing for me has been enjoying food less as it takes so long to eat - unfortunately chocolate is very easy to eat, letting it melt in your mouth

Good luck with the next few weeks and keep posting - it's so helpful to follow others progress.

[TanyaS]

Hi Lynne,
Hehe
So you were able to eat fairly well from soon after being braced?
Had a read through your story, good on you for taking the leap and getting braced!
It is very different for kids with braces now isn't it, with coloured bands and all...
I hope you are feeling better than you did on your 'down day'?

[teach]

Hey everyone,
I am planning on eating the biggest steak Monday night since my brace day is the next morning. LOL