by Blair Worthington

Created on: November 24, 2011   Last Updated: April 13, 2012

Today, people of all ages elect for orthodontia treatment to correct dental problems and to straighten their teeth. Braces are not only for the young. Along with pre-adolescents and teenagers, there are many adults that wear braces, as well.

However, there is one thing common to all people who wear braces, no matter what their age. Everyone who wears braces must cope with the pain and discomfort that accompany the orthodontia process. Luckily, there are many ways that this discomfort can be minimized.

Following are some tips on how to ease the pain of dental braces:

Know the source of the pain

First it is important to consider the source of the dental pain. Essentially, people who wear braces can expect to have two major types of pain.

1. Pain associated with gum and tissue soreness

Braces consist of textured materials such as wires, brackets and bands. This type of hardware can scratch, scrape and rub against the soft tissues of the gum causing irritation, soreness and even bleeding. Not only are the gums affected by this type of irritation, areas such as the insides of the cheeks, the lips and the tongue can become sore, too.

Wax on

To ease this type of irritation and reduce pain, use wax provided by your dental professional. This dental wax is usually provided by your dentist or orthodontist, but it can also be purchased at most pharmacies and online at websites such as drugstore.com.

Dental wax is pliable and serves as a barrier between the orthodontic hardware that is poking or scraping the soft tissues of the mouth. The best way to apply the dental wax is to break off a tiny portion of the wax and rub it gently between the thumb and index finger, rolling the wax into a tiny ball. Then, flatten the ball of wax and mold it around the brace or area that is causing the most discomfort.

Wax is non-toxic and can be used quite liberally in any area where the brace hardware is causing discomfort to surrounding soft tissue in the mouth.

Numbing gels

Over-the-counter dental analgesics such as Orajel or Anbesol also provide relief to the pain associated with gum soreness, canker sores and toothaches. These pain relievers are applied topically directly to the sore area. Simply massage a small amount directly to the tooth and gum area, as directed. These products can be affective for short-term pain relief as they temporarily numb the irritated areas.

Swish and rinse

Warm salt water can provide soothing relief to irritated gums and sore mouth tissue.

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