Hey everyone!

My 12 year old daughter has been in braces for about 10 months now. This past Monday, our Orthodontist put yhese wire springs on both sides of her mouth. She is in a tremendous about of pain, can hardly open her mouth, cannot eat, and has bad sores on both sides. She says the wax they gave her did not stick, although I don't think she is trying hard enough to put it on! Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Therese

The tricks to wax are to use enough, and sometimes it really helps to dab the hardware dry before applying it.

Your daughter should also be especially diligent to stay properly hydrated, as the mouth will tend to respond more poorly to new hardware if its tissues are at all dried out.

Meanwhile, the sores will hurt less if acidic foods and beverages are minimised or avoided. Chewing a Tums (or similar antacid) can also sometimes provide relief from the pain for the same reason.

Hope this helps.