Adjustment with canker sores--owch

[Candymomof3]

So, it was inevitable to finally have an appointment with an abundance of canker sores in my mouth. 3 to be exact, all on my left side. I usually look forward to my appointments but I am dreading this one. I can barely talk, eat, smile, open my mouth and now I have to go in to get my adjustment. I get them from time to time, but luckily they havn't occured at appointment times. I have been miserable for a week with these latest ones
I have not been able to wear my bands during the day, as when I do...I REALLY can't move my mouth as the ulcers are right where the elastics are and it REALLY hurts...so I put them in at night, after covering my cheek with Orajel and putting wax where I can (wax and rubber bands =not good combo) and when I wake up...I take them out. I figure I am not talking or smiling at night (I think ) so I can stand it a little better.
I haven't been able to floss well either (AGH), just hurts too much...been using my interdent brush and brushing with manual brush (after much orajel coating). It really hurts to use my electric brush as it hits them too much beyond my control.
Sorry--I am just whining today...here I am...almost a year under my belt and I am so sick and tired of them. I will get to better days again..just got to get thru these ulcers. I will let you know how my appointment goes tomorrow....7th one! yay! I can actually start letting myself think about them coming off next year now...how exciting..can't wait to be done!!!
thanks for listening...
any tips on getting thru adjustments with mega canker sores? I am taking orajel with me!!! numb it up!!!

[Bunny]

Hi there!! OOO and OWWW and EEK! I do feel for you, last week I had the biggest ulcer/canker sore on my bottom lip where my upper bracket has been rubbing, its gone now but its actually left a little dent! I didn't have an adjustment exactly while I had it but I had a wire snip at the back. I explained to the ortho my pains and he rubbed some gel on it waited to numb the area and went really extra gentle and really slowly. I wont lie it still smarted a bit but nowhere near what its like when you brush your teeth.
Tips to not get them??? Reduce stress, lots of healthy veggies and fruit, shellfish contain zinc so he said to try them and also to be aware that at certain times of the month-you know what I mean!! You may be more prone to them due to an increase in hormone levels so up the super veg.
I feel so sorry for you and I do empathise with how miserable it makes you feel, poor thing, I hope they go soon!
Oh and I am very pleased that you are approaching the time when you can say "this year my braces are coming off"!

Big hugs! xxxxxxx

[Zebstriped]

The mouth sores I think are the worst part of the braces journey. And just when they heal up and I stop using wax, they come right back.

I've seen Sunny post that you should use the wax even after you think you don't need it. Probably good advice based on my experience!

Hang in there!

[Sunny]

Candy I really feel for you ... I used to get mouth sores every month and was told they were hormonal and something I just had to live with. When I first met my ortho, he told me to rinse once a daily with warm salt water and if I got a mouth sore, to up that to 5+ times a day ... and if I wanted to add more salt and let it sit in the area where the mouth sore was. Well ... since I got braces ... I've not had one mouth sore ... that's 52 months without a mouth sore ... it's totally unreal ... and I love this!

In the past ...
- tablets I tried from the chemist ... a special mix of vitamins and minerals, that did help for a while. I think zinc was one of the main ingredients.
- rinsed my mouth with apple vinegard once a day ... giving any mouth sore area a slow work out.
- many topical creams and gels.
- stress relief exercises, meditation, medication etc
etc etc etc

Definitely put some gel/cream on the sores before your appointment and make sure you tell your ortho about them, as they can be spread ... plus you need your ortho to take extra care with your mouth.

Zebstriped the reason for using wax for at least 24 hours after you think you need to, is to makes totally sure your mouth is ready. The wax allows your skin to toughen without it getting sores and causing a thickening of the skin. It's not good for your mouth to have to keep healing and repairing, as each time this happens, the skin needs to toughen again ... a long and often painful process.