Help! My mouth is killing me.

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#1 Post by **amy** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:50 am

Today is my third day in braces and I'm definitely starting to notice some issues. My teeth are achy but what really hurts is my mouth. I'm developing cuts and blisters on my lips, which no matter how often I put on chapstick are dry and cracking. The insides of my lips and cheeks are sore and I'm developing tenderness and sores.

I do put on dental wax but I can't put wax on every single bracket. My top braces are the real issues as the inside of my mouth in that area is very tender. I had to apply a huge strip of wax to most of the brackets just to get to sleep last night. Not really an option for work.

I'm alternating between ibprofuen, aleve and motrin pm based on the pain. It helps but not really with the pain from these scrapes and sores.

So how do you get rid of these sores or at least get them to heal faster? I've tried orajel but it wears off so fast. Also, is there anything I can to minimize cuts and blisters on my lips?

I'd appreciate any advice as I'm just sure what to try,

#2 Post by **DrBlur** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:21 am

After a week or so your mouth will toughen up and it will be better. I have my molar bands on now and had the same issues but now I don't notice them at all.

Good luck!

#3 Post by **Boohill** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 7:34 am

Warm salt water rinses a few times a day help a lot. Hope you feel better soon. Ive had my braces since January and I have rarely had to use wax. Even when I can feel my braces rubbing on my bottom lip, I just tough it out so that my lips can get use to all this metal.

Hope this helps
Good luck!!

#4 Post by **Bekah** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:13 am

I know it doesn't help, but it will get better over time. My orthodontist has a treatment to chemically cauterize(sp?) the sore. Hurts like you wouldn't believe when they do it but the sore goes away super fast after that!!!

Check dentakit.com they sell a plastic shield that goes over the brackets that you can sleep in. It goes all the way round too! I hope that helps and I hope you feel better soon.

#5 Post by **Snowglobe32** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:34 am

When I had sore spots, I used Benzodent. It is similiar to orajel (comes in a tube) but it is pastier and stays in place. I have seen it at Walmart and Target so I assume most drugstores will have it. Apply with a q-tip. This is the only thing that ever worked for me. Wax works, but not for the initial sores, plus you want to get your mouth accustomed to the brackets.

Keep drinking water, don't use too many OTC drugs, the pain goes away in a short time. Keep moisturizer on your lips, keep it with you at all times. Ditch the chapstick, try Vaselinbe Intensive Care Lip Therapy, Carry a water bottle, you will start alternating between dry mouth and too much saliva mouth, buy some breathsavers, this will help with the dry mouth. Salt rinses didn't help much but my ortho recommends doing a salt rinse at least once a day while you are in braces. (I don't do this everyday).

Good luck!

#6 Post by **appygirl82** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:32 am

Salt water rinses and time....it WILL get better. I have been braced since January....I used wax for about a week, thats it. Right now it seems miserable but in a week or two you will feel much better!

#7 Post by **peach** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:35 am

Drink water to help keep ur mouth moist and reduce some friction. Use a medicated chapstick to avoid chapped lips (my favorite one says medicated and has a blue wrapper). Also a & d ointment or vaseline are also helpful. I always put something on my lips after brushing my teeth. orajel rubbed on ur gums is great w/ helping mouth pain. There's also an orajel that creates a thin seal over mouth sores. I definitely recommend colgate peroxyl. It helps reduce pain while it cleans and heals ur mouth sores.

Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:48 am

I use carmex for the sores and my lips it really seems to help. Like the previous post said your mouth will toughen up. It takes a couple of weeks but you'll notice a difference. Make sure also no wires are poking you...that's the problem I had and I got braced on a Friday and had to wait till Monday to see my orthodontist.

#9 Post by **Bracedmom32** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:07 pm

I'm on week 2 of braces and have a ridiculous amount of cankers too.

I've been using the Orajel Antiseptic Mouth Sore Rinse 4 or 5 times a day and it has really helped. Plus I've been using Colgate Orobase - its basically puts a coating over the sore so it doesn't get as irritated.

Both these products have really helped me plus Medicated Blistex...hope this is helpful....good luck - I feel you pain!!

#10 Post by **njsuburban** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:48 pm

warm salt water rinses will work well. I work for a Dr and we tell patients with mouth sores to try 'magic mouth wash" mix one part benadryl and one part maalox together and rinse out your mouth. don't swallow it! You can also get a prescription for this with added lidocaine.

#11 Post by **drpotter** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:29 pm

Lots of salt water rinses and drink LOTS of water.

I took to putting on strips of silicone all over the brackets (not 1 bracket at a time but a whole strip, smoothed over the whole arch to get the wires too) at nights when it got really bad after those first couple of days. It really really helped, the sores felt much better in the mornings and I could just put regular wax on the worst bits during the day. I'm now a few weeks in and the bottom is dandy except for 1 spot that I still keep wax on, the upper arch with the linguals still needs my little makeshift guard (worked better than the plastic one I bought!) at nights but the sores healed up in no time after I started doing it.

#12 Post by **amy** » Sat Apr 10, 2010 9:32 am

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm still fairly sore, it's worst right before I go to bed so I have been covering nearly all of my brackets with wax before going to sleep along with a coating or orajel. My mouth is just too achy otherwise.

I actually went out this morning and bought the Orajel Antiseptic Mouth Sore Rinse suggested by bracedmom. It actually helped immediately with soothing my mouth. The aftertaste and foaminess of it is a little off, but I'm willing to keep trying if it will help my mouth to heal.

However, in the last two days I've developed a new problem *sigh* I have a cross bite which is slowly shifting. I first noticed it with spacers and now with the Damon wire on my top teeth being used to correct it. However, it has now shifted so that my back teeth are banging and sliding painfully when I close my mouth. It's not a huge problem when I'm awake except when I accidentally bang my teeth closed, but I periodically clench my teeth at night and I wake up with my teeth throbbing. I've been waking up throughout the night the last two nights because of this.

Does anyone know a night mouth guard that will fit over braces? I feel like if I just had some cushion and could really get sleep, I would just feel better overall.

#13 Post by **kvphi** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:14 am

Teething gel. IT completely numbs the mouth for a good 30 minutes. It's usually enough time for me to comfortably fall asleep. They also make a adult variety of mouth sores.

Works like a charm. Swear by it.

#14 Post by **TigerLily** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:31 pm

What works for me is red wine..lots of it..makes me forget..

#15 Post by **bracy111** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:44 pm

Hi Amy, my orthodontist advised me not to take any ibuprofen since it is supposed to inhibit teeth movement. Paracetamol and Aspirin are fine. Ibuprofen prolongs treatment time...