Braces and (eugh) swallowing/drooling

[LaydeeC]

My 14 yo son has just had retaining braces fitted this morning and has just come downstairs saying 'that's it, I've had enough'. They are now, at least, back in his mouth but someone please, please, please tell me that it really does get better after a few days.
It surely must because I don't notice other teens around with braces making gruffalo like swallowing sounds...

It gets a lot better, just grit his teeth thru it for the first 3 days and then he should be almost totally used to it. Failing that, just wear them as much as he can stand. DS was supposed to wear it thru meals but couldn't stand it.

I had dental work for over 12 years, it DOES get better. Persevere because its worth it in the end.

Thank you both!
I've just told him what you have said and backed it up by referring to the fact that some of the other children in his school must have them and they don't have to swallow repeated whilst gargling at the same time.
I've never had them (not that I have perfect teeth but it didn't seem to bother anyone 35 or so years ago that my teeth were less than perfection) so can't offer any help or anecdotal experience to him.
Lots of thanks again.

I can only empathise with them, I had an awful amount of orthodontics work when I was younger and I HATED it and it has given me a life long issue with dentists. In the end I just couldn't cope with the retainer (I have a bad gag reflex and I couldn't speak without gagging, it makes me feel sick just thinking about it). I would rather have kept the train track ones on for another five years than have 6 months of that. Within a day or two I just had to stop (amidst my parents cries of 'but your teeth will go back to how they were') - 12 years later and my teeth are still the same!

the first couple of days really are the worst - both of my dcs are sporting them at the mo.
if it gets really uncomfortable he could have some painkillers.

Not sure it did get better for DS, he's had his quite a while now and is still slobbery and hard to understand when he speaks - when he actually bother to wear his brace that is

It does get better - my son initially had big blocks in his mouth to start with and just couldn't cope - we had tantrums the lot but he persevered and now 2 and half years down the line we still have the track trains (please god they will come off soon) but he is so used to them that he doesn't want them off!! The more he wears his brace though the better he will speak and get used to them - it's really hard I know

The twin block my DD has did make her retch/gag/vomit for the first week.
She has had it for nearly a year now and only wears it at night.

Ds1 (14) has fixed braces top and bottom. The first two days were a bit of a spit fest!

I've just asked him now how he felt, and he says "yeah it was bad for the first day or two, but after that it was fine - a couple of kids at my school looked rabid for a bit longer, but only for the first few days.."

He has to have them tightened every few weeks or so, so I get in the nurofen, cos it does feel sore for around 48 hours afterwards, and a bit fragile, but he carries on as normal with a couple of nurofen chucked in his direction!

After only 6 months, he teeth look so much straighter! In fact I started to notice the difference after 3 weeks!