General pain and soreness in the mouth is a common side effect when you get your braces. Your teeth will feel tender when biting, and it can generally 2-5 days. The rule of thumb is to stay on a soft diet until it doesn’t hurt to chew.

You may experience soreness of the gums. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water solution. If the soreness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol). Avoid aspirin, Ibuprofen (Advil) and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn) slows tooth movement, so do not use them frequently if possible.

You may also experience irritation on your lips, cheeks, and tongue for up to two weeks as they are becoming accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can place wax on braces to lessen the irritation.

Loose Teeth

Your teeth may feel a little loose, this is common! In order for your teeth to move into the right position, your braces must first loosen them. Once your teeth are in the correct position, they will no longer feel loose.

Loose Wires and Bands

Make sure to take good care of you appliances. Damaged appliances can increase treatment time. Your treatment can only be effective if you wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, and appliances consistently as prescribed by Dr. Hessamfar.

How to Relieve Pain from Braces?

People often think that braces are very painful, but there’s actually not much pain or discomfort after you get used to wearing them. You may feel some little discomfort just after the orthodontist puts the braces on and when your wires get tightened, but there are ways to get braces pain relief.

Gargling with lukewarm salt water (1 tsp. salt to 8oz of water) can help with tender teeth. You can also try over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen to relieve soreness. For irritation to the soft tissues in your mouth, we can supply you with wax to create a protective barrier on the outside of the braces.