After getting new braces or a tightening appointment, you feel pain and discomfort. So, you might be looking for a way to relieve braces pain at home. So, what are the home remedies for braces pain relief?
Your teeth, gums, and jaw pain can be relieved using a few simple techniques. Most importantly, you can usually handle it on your own. Rinsing with warm and salt water, applying an icepack, using cold water, using a heating pad, or massaging gum can be simple ways to temporarily relieve braces pain.
In this article, you will get a lot of techniques that you can use at home anytime when you feel soreness or pain.
How to relieve braces pain at home?
Here are some home remedies for braces pain relief after getting them tightened and even after a long time of getting braces.
1. Rinse with warm and salt water.
One of the best and most common ways to relieve pain from braces is rinsing with salt water.
Put salt into lukewarm water and rinse your mouth with it for 60 seconds. Repeat it three to four times every day.
This will give you comfort if you have painful gums and an ulcer or cut on the cheek or gums from braces.
This is because not only does it reduce the inflammation but it helps heal the cut from braces.
2. Apply an icepack.
One of the easiest home remedies to reduce braces pain is using an icepack outside of the mouth or jaw over the painful teeth and gums. Do it just like you use an ice pack for other parts of the body to reduce pain when it gets hurt.
It reduces inflammation and swelling as well as numbs the mouth.
Therefore, you get relief from the pain and discomfort.
3. Use cold ice water or an ice cube.
Another simple solution to get relief from pain from braces is taking help from cold ice water. Take one glass of cold water and sip on it.
It will numb the region around the teeth and gums and lessen the pain-inducing inflammatory reactions, just like the ice pack. Your pain is greatly reduced as a result.
The same effect can be achieved by sucking on an ice cube for a while.
Avoid this technique, though, if you have sensitive teeth to cold.
4. Take ice cream.
You can take a nonsticky variety of ice cream, such as popsicles, for braces pain relief after having your braces tightened.
This reduces the severity of the pain by numbing your mouth. However, take care to prevent your braces from being harmed by the ice cream.
However, you shouldn’t consume it frequently because eating sugary ice cream while wearing braces can harm your teeth over time.
So, after eating the ice cream, thoroughly brush and floss your teeth.
Aside from that, avoid using this method if you are sensitive to ice cream.
5. Use a heating pad.
Use a heating pad if you notice that pain persists after using cold therapy or if you have sensitive teeth.
Apply it outside of your mouth, where you are experiencing pain. This will reduce the discomfort caused by braces.
But keep it from getting too hot; otherwise, your skin won’t be able to tolerate it.
However, if you run into any issues while using it, you can try another method.
6. Use a warm cloth
Take a clean cloth and warm it up if you don’t have a heating pad at home. To get rid of pain, hold it outside of your mouth for a few seconds without burning your skin.
7. Massage your gums.
You know this simple trick. When you feel pain in your shoulder or legs, you want to massage that part of the body to get rid of the pain.
Similarly, you can massage your gums if your braces are causing you pain there.
Massage the gum gentry with your one finger. Your gum tissue is relaxed as a result, which lessens soreness.
To improve the outcome of your massage, you could also apply an ice cube to the area first.
8. Apply oral anesthetic.
An oral local anesthetic that can be used in the mouth is an option. It typically comes in gel form.
Consult your orthodontist and follow his or her instructions for applying the anesthetics. It helps reduce the pain in that area.
Apply to the area of your teeth and gums that is hurting. You can use cotton or a clean finger to put and rub it on the area.
This gel acts on the nerve endings and desensitizes the gums and teeth, without hurting the braces and tooth movement. So, you get rid of pain fast.
9. Use hot peppermint tea bags or peppermint oil.
A great home remedy to relieve braces pain is using hot peppermint tea bags.
After using a tea bag, don’t throw it away.
First, make sure that the tea bag is wet and hot. Then, hold the tea bag against the affected area of your mouth to get rid of the pain.
This simple remedy reduces your inflammation and pain.
You can also use peppermint oil instead of the tea bag.
Put a few drops of oil over the sore area of your mouth to reduce the discomfort.
10. Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
When the pain becomes intolerable, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever that your orthodontist prescribed.
However, try other options for braces pain relief before taking it. Take it when you mess up.
When you experience physical discomfort, you begin to consider taking painkillers. However, taking excessive amounts of painkillers is bad.
Additionally, you should try to limit your use of painkillers while receiving orthodontic treatment.
However, if the pain is so severe that you are unable to control it with other measures, you can take an over-the-counter painkiller.
On the other hand, never take medication without your orthodontist’s approval. Before taking it, discuss it with them to confirm the dosages.
You must let him or her know beforehand if you decide to take it. Typically, after the first time, the braces are tightened during this treatment, you may need to take over-the-counter pain relievers.
But once that happens, your pain won’t be as severe. Even if wearing braces hurts, you can put up with it once you get used to it. You won’t need to take medication at that point.
If you experience excessive pain or discomfort, you can also take pain relievers prior to the braces adjustment appointment.
11. Use orthodontic wax.
You can employ this method if you experience pain as a result of broken braces or wires. Poking wires can occasionally hurt and cut your cheek or gums.
If you feel pain from that, apply dental wax to prevent it from poking you.
Learn steps to apply dental wax at home correctly.
You can use other methods to repair a popped-out or loose wire at home.
Check our other articles to know the technique of fixing popped-out, poking, bent, or loose wires at home.
But, to fix it permanently, visit your orthodontist.
12. Take soft and braces-friendly foods.
Eat as much liquid food as you can when you have a toothache, especially during the first week. Eat soft food if you experience pain at other times.
When you eat soft food while experiencing this pain, your teeth will rest. This will lessen the discomfort. Additionally, chewing food won’t harm your teeth.
Know what to eat after braces tightening.
13. Avoid hard, crunchy, and sticky foods.
If you chew on something hard or bite on it while you have a toothache from your braces, your toothache will naturally increase.
Your tooth is under pressure from hard food. This puts more pressure on the nerves of your teeth that are already stressed.
As a result, you will feel intense pain. So, when your teeth hurt, don’t eat hard and crunchy food by mistake.
A piece of hard, crunchy food that gets stuck between the braces and teeth puts constant pressure on the teeth. This does not make your toothache go away.
In addition, eating sticky foods can cause tooth sensitivity and pain. Cleaning teeth while wearing braces is very challenging.
When sticky foods get stuck in braces and teeth, you may not clean them thoroughly even though you try your best. This will lead to tooth decay and sensitivity and therefore, the pain will also increase.
Get a list of foods to avoid with braces.
14. Avoid acidic and sugary beverages.
If you have sore and sensitive eat for braces, and avoid acidic and sugary drinks and foods. This increases your pain. Avoid hard drinks, cold drinks, soda, sports, and other drinks.
15. Avoid foods that cause sensitive teeth and plaque.
Many people experience tooth sensitivity to certain foods and beverages after getting braces. You might also experience this issue.
When you consume certain foods that are hot or cold, some of you might feel pain. Just resolve it and avoid those while wearing braces.
You might need to fast for the first week in some circumstances. After a few days, you might not have any issues eating it. You can therefore try foods later. But avoid eating anything hard at all costs.
16. Chew food carefully and slowly.
You have to be careful while eating with braces on your teeth. During the first few days, you must be more aware of it, because you need time to adapt the technique of eating with braces.
Use back teeth to chew foods, as they have more strength and you get the molar band on the molar tooth which has stronger. Moreover, you have to chew slowly so that your teeth don’t feel too much pressure.
17. Stay strong and keep patience.
Because most braces’ pain subsides a week after being tightened, you must maintain your strength and be patient after getting braces.
At the beginning of treatment, you might feel anxious. But after wearing braces for a month, I promise you won’t even notice the issue.
Pain gets reduced gradually and you also get used to it. Some people are also able to tolerate the pain. Think about the moment when you will get a beautiful smile.
So, keep your eyes on your goal, maintain a positive attitude, and prepare to deal with challenges. Remember that you cannot obtain beautiful things without working hard and that you are happiest when you have earned what you have.
18. Don’t touch the sore mouth.
When you have pain from an ulcer on the mouth due to braces, don’t touch the area. It will cause more pain. If you feel pain in your teeth or gums for braces, you should not even touch them either.
19. Be careful of habits.
Bad oral habits like biting on a pen or nail increase the pain, because biting on these hard substances provides excess pressure on teeth and braces.
This stimulates the nerve in the teeth and gums and you start feeling pain. Moreover, it can break braces and their components.
20. Brush teeth using the proper method regularly.
If you are experiencing tooth pain, don’t be afraid to brush your teeth. Your teeth will continue to hurt if food particles are left in the space between your teeth and your braces.
So be sure to thoroughly brush your teeth. However, take care when brushing. Brushing should be done slowly and gently. Learn how to brush your teeth properly while wearing braces.
21. Use a soft bristle toothbrush.
If you brush your teeth with a hard bristle toothbrush while wearing braces, it’ll put pressure on your teeth and increase the pain. So, buy and use a soft bristle toothbrush to give your teeth rest.
22. Rinse mouth and floss tooth properly and regularly.
It’s likely to hurt your teeth more if you use the incorrect technique when flossing if you have braces and experience tooth pain.
While wearing braces, floss gently to prevent injury. Also, follow the proper technique. After eating, always rinse your mouth out with water to keep food particles out of your mouth.
23. Don’t overdo anything.
Wearing braces for a long time isn’t so funny. So, some people want to do something that they can get braces off faster.
But, without knowing about braces, overdoing stuff can make the situation worse. An example of that is the rubber bands.
As you can change the bands on your own, you may think of putting two or three rubber bands at a time to put more pressure on teeth.
This will not only hurt your teeth extremely but also damage them permanently. So, you may end up having a broken or loose tooth.
So, don’t overdo anything and keep patience. Now, if you feel pain because of the reason, stop the activity immediately.
24. Use a mouthguard.
If you have pain from braces and have to participate in any sports or any physical activity, you can use a mouthguard.
This protects your cheek and gums from the braces and wires and prevents soreness and pain.
25. Fix broken braces and loose wires.
Your mouth can become sore and hurt at any time from loose or broken wires or braces. You should address the problem if the loose wire is causing you pain.
To avoid getting hurt, you can fix it at home before seeing your orthodontist. The wires should be bent away from the cheek and gums. To fix it, use a tweezer or a fingernail clipper.
Learn about fixing loose braces wire at home.
Apply orthodontic wax over the loose wire to prevent it become pokey. But, to get a permanent solution you must visit your orthodontist.
If you have a broken bracket, keep it in a safe pot or bucket and bring it with you when you visit him or her.
26. Follow all instructions given by the orthodontist.
Not obeying your orthodontist can be the cause of your pain. Follow all the advice of your orthodontist to prevent any unexpected painful condition of teeth from braces.
27. Use braces survival kits.
Buy and keep braces survival kits with you. There are many situations with braces when you have to manage on your own to prevent braces from hurting you until you visit your orthodontist.
An example is having a poking or loose braces wire. You can fix it temporarily at home to prevent any further damage.
You can use all of these techniques to get rid of pain in one tooth from braces.
Rubber band braces pain relief
You might have to use rubber bands with your braces while undergoing orthodontic treatment. You might experience more pain after getting the bands because they put more pressure on your teeth than usual.
Because you can remove the bands on your own, you might decide to stop wearing them for the pain. Never, however, do that. The explanation is that wearing rubber bands on a regular basis relieves pain.
When you use it as your orthodontist advised, you quickly get used to it, and the pain quickly disappears.
Pain lasts longer if you take a break because you don’t get used to it. Only change the rubber bands three to four times per day, ideally after meals.
Keep patience for the first few days after getting rubber bands. After a few days, the pain will go away.
Check this article to know more about rubber band braces pain relief.
Power chain braces pain relief
Braces -wearer also gets power chains during orthodontic treatment. They are used to hold teeth in place or close the gaps between the teeth.
Similar to rubber bands, they apply additional pressure to the teeth, which causes you to feel some mild pain and discomfort.
Don’t avoid the chains, and take care of them as your orthodontist advises. This will lessen the discomfort. The techniques we’ve covered here can be used by you to get relief from the pain.
Learn more about the power chain braces pain relief.
Braces spacers pain relief
Some people need to wear braces spacers or separators for orthodontic treatment. When you get it, you may experience food that gets stuck between the teeth.
You feel pain within a few hours after getting spaces. After receiving spacers rather than braces, some people report experiencing greater pain.
You can’t avoid them if you want the pain from the spacers to go away as fast as possible.
When you wear them regularly, the pain reduces gradually and you get used to it.
The pain may last longer if you stop using a spacer.
Use the methods we covered here if they continue to hurt your teeth.
How long does braces pain last?
When orthodontic treatment first begins, the first thought that comes to your mind is when the pain from the braces goes away.
The pain lasts for a week after getting new braces. Braces hurt your teeth the most in the first 2-3 days, and then it starts to reduce.
You might not notice any discomfort after a month of getting braces.
Takeaways
Using basic tools and a variety of techniques, you can reduce braces pain at home. However, pain doesn’t last very long after getting braces.
Therefore, you might not always require any special pain relief techniques.
The most crucial thing is to maintain patience.
Be calm; your efforts to achieve a stunning smile won’t go in vain.
