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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

New braces on DS, please tell me it gets better ...

34 replies

WobblyLondoner · 05/12/2019 22:08

DS, age 13, had braces fitted yesterday. He is really struggling with them - especially eating and speaking (he now has a slight lisp), and has not slept much either despite calpol. He's hardly eaten anything since having them installed yesterday afternoon and winces trying to brush them.

He's now saying he doesn't want to keep the braces at all and that he'd rather have wonky teeth...

Please tell me it gets better? He can be a bit of a drama queen but I do feel very sorry for him - he is clearly in a lot of discomfort and feels very socially awkward. Any tips very welcome, especially on food during these first few days. And on brushing - we've got various interdental things but it's hard to get him to go anywhere near his mouth at the moment.

OP posts:

IfWishesWereFishes · 05/12/2019 22:10

I don't have advice (I'm sorry) but watching this with interest as my seven year old has to get braces next month, and this thread has suddenly made me very nervous for him

dementedpixie · 05/12/2019 22:11

Are they fixed braces? Try ibuprofen too. It does get better, he just needs to give it a couple of days.

BigBairyHollocks · 05/12/2019 22:12

Maybe something is wrong?My 14yo DS got his on last week, and they are fine,a bit uncomfortable. I have given him adult ibuprofen and paracetamol to tide him over but otherwise he’s fine, eating brushing his teeth without issue.

Bubblysqueak · 05/12/2019 22:12

I remember those first few days vividly and each and every time the braces were tightened even thought was 20 years ago.

I would up his pain meds, at 13 he can take regular paracetamol and ibuprofen. I would also advise soft food (lots of soup ) for a few days. It won't take long to get used to them and for the pain to go away.

Peaseblossom22 · 05/12/2019 22:12

Yes it gets better but it is horrid to start with . Soft food, TLC , sympathy, straws , if they are train tracks the wax is good to stop the sharp edges ripping the inside of the mouth. Out dentist recommended a memory foam pillow which ds found useful for getting settled st night

Ibuprofen am hour. Who’re tightening appointments is good too

dementedpixie · 05/12/2019 22:14

We went for soft foods to start with - pasta noodles, baked potato, etc. Dd then graduated to pretty much most things. Apples only ok if sliced first, corn on the cob also out. Anything too hard, too crunchy chewy or sticky is off the list too.

Ribeebie · 05/12/2019 22:16

It gets better. I had several years of braces. Removable and fixed. Each time I had a new one or they were tightened they were sore for a day or two but it was worst the first time I had any on. I felt my teeth were going to fall out. It does get better though and it's so worth it at the end. Regular paracetamol and ibuprofen. Soft foods and warm drinks and lots of sympathy.

babybrain77 · 05/12/2019 22:16

I still vividly remember getting fixed braces and the pain associated, and it's been 15 years now. It can be really awful. The unable to eat, real agony phase only ever lasted 48 hours for me (after getting them on, and then every time they get tightened). Make sure he has a good supply of wax to put over any sharp bits and give him lots of TLC. It does get better and is a hundred percent worth it for good teeth

Titsywoo · 05/12/2019 22:16

My DS is getting braces next month and I'm really worried about this so will keep an eye on this thread for (hopefully) some reassurance. My son is austistic and although better now used to have very bad sensory issues so no idea how he will cope with this. Much sympathy OP, I hope the discomfort passes quickly.

dementedpixie · 05/12/2019 22:19

Dd must have had a high pain threshold as she wasn't bothered too much by hers. There were only a few occasions over her nearly 2 years of wearing hers that she needed pain relief. She's now down to overnight retainer wearing

mclover · 05/12/2019 22:22

First week is always hard, but then you very much get used to them. Each time they get tightened it's a bit painful again for 24/48 hours, but again you then get used to it. He'll be fine.

7thlevelofthecandycaneforest · 05/12/2019 22:25

I’ve recently had braces removed and remember this pain vividly! It does get better and this is the worst part. His lips will get used to them and toughen up but the problem is when they tighten them again it feels like it’s back to square one again (or at least it did with me). I found that if it was really sore I would completely cover them in wax (Amazon is good for bulk buying it) and it would give them the night off to heal a little bit. Once they are less sore the lisp will go away too. Rinsing with salt water after each meal helps them heal too. Just eat soft foods for a day or two and he will be fine. It’s definitely worth it in the long run!

Chancey1982 · 05/12/2019 22:25

It does, two of mine have had them and to begin with they were sad tearful and in pain. One now has them removed and has a blooming gorgeous smile and one has a few months to go. My eldest decided not to get them and I think will live to regret the decision. My children would tell yours it is very worth going through.

Chancey1982 · 05/12/2019 22:28

Brush brush brush tho. One of mine didn't brush enough and had huge swollen gums for ages. Looked dreadful. Fine now tho.

champagneandfromage50 · 05/12/2019 22:29

My DD found the braces tough to start with. They are tight and uncomfortable so a bit of brufen should do the trick . My DD ended up with them on for 3 yrs as her teeth were in such a mess and has only recently moved to a retainer.

youdeservebetter · 05/12/2019 22:29

I remember it vividly too - 48 hours and bucket loads of sympathy and painkillers

It does get better but I warn you with every "tightening" the same thing happens it's not just the initial putting on that only hurts.

Present or too might help ! Distractions / computer games as a treat ?

Bigfatpicnic · 05/12/2019 22:34

It gets better after 2 to 4 days. When the wire is changed it can hurt for 1-2 days. The dentist said that the worst bit is the few days.
Calpol, ibuprofen, wax and Anbesol liquid (or similar) should get you through the worst.
Food needs to be soft for a good few days, but my DS somehow, eventually managed to eat anything with them on (including all the prohibited food without any harm to the brace😳🙄).
100% worth it.

Thestrangestthing · 05/12/2019 22:36

Soups, porridge and jelly for the first few days. I remember mine well, had Braces on top twice and bottom once, in total about 6 years with bloddy Braces in. It will get better for him. Can he manage adult pain killers?

dementedpixie · 05/12/2019 22:38

I worried more about dds braces than she did so she ate pizza and other foods you probably shouldn't with me warning her to be careful. Think only 1 bracket ever came off but it wasnt while she was eating

Xiaoxiong · 05/12/2019 22:42

Another one who remembers the discomfort like it was yesterday. We had a blanket rule that we could have any ice cream or milkshake we wanted the day of braces tightening, and also suck ice chips to numb your mouth.

It might be helpful as well to have some bonjela handy - the hard core stuff with the lidocaine. I got wicked mouth ulcers if the wires weren't bent in properly and cut my cheeks, or if I didn't clean in between the wires properly.

Braces are 100% worth it though, the pain does subside after a day or two and it isn't forever. And all my friends had braces at the same time as well, which helped a lot! Lots of mutual moaning at break time...

20viona · 05/12/2019 22:45

Nothing is wrong it's all completely normal. I'm going to warn you day 3 is the worst but from then it all gets better. Whatever you do, DO NOT let him get them removed. It's all gonna be worth it.

FredAndChips · 05/12/2019 23:00

I still remember the pain and mine came out 15 years ago. The first 4 days suck! Soft foods, plenty of pain meds, a warm heat pack to hold round his jaw if its really sore and a soft toothbrush for the first week. Best thing my mum bought me. Sure it was actually a toddler one but it really helped. Then as i got used to the braces i moved back to my normal toothbrush. Bonjela was also a life saver. It will get better, and the lisp should go after a week or two. Mine did anyway. Hope he's feeling better soon

BananaBooBoo · 05/12/2019 23:04

We found Origel the best for discomfort from rubbing etc. My DD is a total wimp when it comes to these things and she found it tough going the first few days but a year in and shes mostly fine.

Original poster

WobblyLondoner · 05/12/2019 23:06

Wow, thanks so much everyone. Poor boy - it must be such a shock going from normal mouth to mouth with braces.

I think part of the difficulty is that neither me nor his dad had braces so we don't really know how it feels. But lots of great ideas here, and very reassuring too - fantastic.

Don't worry about removing them - that's not going to happen!

OP posts:

JustDanceAddict · 06/12/2019 14:52

The first couple of days is awful but it gets a lot better. Soft food, smoothies etc are the way to go. Even when they have them adjusted every 6 weeks or so they take a couple of days to settle down.

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