If you have teeth whose alignment you are correcting using braces, you might have noticed that the process is not entirely comfortable. You might have the wires dig into the corners of your mouth and create sores. Your teeth might hurt after you get your braces tightened for the first few days. All of this can make the relatively lengthy process of fixing the alignment of your teeth frustrating. Here are some ways that you can reduce how painful braces are. 

1. Use the Wax

You might receive a small amount of wax when you first get your braces put on. This wax is designed to go at the ends of your braces in order to make sure that they don't poke your mouth. Try to make sure that you use the wax consistently and, should the pieces of wax fall off, you have additional wax to use. You can pick up more wax if you run out from your dentist or online. The best way to make sure that the wax doesn't fall off is by wrapping it around the wires, not just sticking a blob at the ends because the braces will just poke through it. Make sure that you mention that the wires feel long before you leave the dentist so that the wires can be cut shorter.

2. Take Painkillers Before You Go

The second thing that you want to do is take painkillers before you even go to the dentist to have your braces tightened. This will allow you to avoid having to feel any pain immediately after the procedure or during it. Make sure that you continue to take painkillers regularly, according to the instructions, for the first day or two after they get tightened. This will make it much easier for you to deal with the pain. If the painkillers are not doing it for you, you can always use an ice pack on your mouth as well, which should help numb your mouth until it gets used to the new tightness of the braces.

3. Use Saltwater

Take a warm cup of water and add some salt to it. Stir until all of the salt dissolves. Once you are ready, you can then drink some of the saltwater and swish it around in your mouth. This will reduce the chances that you will develop an infection and will help reduce how sore your mouth feels.

For more information, talk to your dentist, like David Jackson, DDS.

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