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

[WobblyLondoner]

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.

It does get better. I used to have my last apple on the day they were tightened, but after a few days they were better til next time.

I think part of the difficulty is that neither me nor his dad had braces so we don't really know how it feels.

It's good you've recognised this. My parents had no idea either and I thought they weren't sympathetic enough (but maybe I was just being a moody teenager ). I got mine off 20 years ago and I still remember the pain vividly. As everyone else has said though, it gets better and it is worth it. Soft food and bonjela saw me through.

I'm 32 and got my braces on 3 months ago.

I had them for a short time as a teenager and felt very similar to your DS, except for me it was WAY less about pain and about 95% vanity.

We took them off, and it's one of my biggest regrets.

For a variety of lifestyle reasons I haven't been able to gift myself braces until now, and I'm SO happy to have them on now.

The great thing about the first few months, painful as the initial days are, is that you can SEE your teeth moving day by day - it's amazing.

See if he's up for a photo every day for the first month so you can watch the progress; it's crazy but very exciting!

And look at lots of before and after photos / YouTube videos of vloggers sharing their braces stories. Once he sees what an impact they can make, it might help him push through this uncomfortable bit.

@WobblyLondoner how is he getting on now?

Thanks again all. He's much better now - not in pain and his speech is better, but eating anything that isn't soft is still a challenge and we're having to be very alert to his brushing (which goes down ever so well).

I had braces, about 26 years ago, and I can still remember the pain and discomfort. It does get better, and then you go and have then altered and it’s terrible again. But it is worth it in the end.

The first week or two can be agony, depending on his specific issue. He can also catch his lips, tongue and roof of his mouth on the braces depending on the type - and they can develop sores/swellings.

My kids had soft foods for a fortnight, ibuprofen, and much cossetting until the braces settled down. I remember the same when I was 12/13. It also takes a while to learn to talk without a lisp and not drool. His whole mouth is forced into an alien position.

He'll get the hang of it, but braces can be REALLY rough, dependingh on how much alteration is needed. Poor lad, it's a tough time.

I'm nearly 2 weeks into braces and it does get better! I took ibuprofen and paracetamol every 2 hours for the first week and haven't felt the need for it anymore. I'd definitely recommend using the wax to cover the brackets as mouth ulcers and rubs are not nice at all! Bonjela helps them heal relatively quickly too.

As for food, soft foods, (i am, admittedly really fed up of soft foods now as I can't chew due to my bite being realigned) mashed potato, fish etc, hang on in there!

Definitely getting better, and managing a wider range of foods - but now one of the springs has come off, so back to the orthodontist tomorrow to get that fixed before Xmas!