What to do When Braces Irritate Inside of Mouth

If you have traditional braces in Bethesda, MD, you’ll have metal brackets on your teeth, along with wires that thread through the brackets and connect all the teeth on your upper and/or lower arch. Wearing braces can take some getting used to, and each time you come in for an adjustment, there may be yet another “adjustment” period once you get home, since braces adjustments mean the dentist tightens the wires just a smidgen more.

Potential Issue With Metal Braces

Metal braces remain one of the most effective methods for realigning teeth, but they aren’t without their drawbacks. Forgetting the appearance, there are particulars about metal braces that your orthodontist can help with. Potential issues include irritation of the soft tissue inside the mouth, on the inside of the lips. There’s a likely culprit, a stray wire end.

A Stray Wire End

When your orthodontist in Bethesda, MD puts on the braces and makes adjustments, they carefully tuck the end of the wire so it doesn’t “stick out.” Every now and then, the end of a wire doesn’t stay tucked in, and it might poke out, essentially scratching the soft tissue when you move your mouth.

What to do When Braces Irritate Inside of Mouth

What you should do first is to ring up your orthodontist’s office and book an appointment to come in so they can readjust the wire end.

In the meantime, you can tear off a small bit of clean cloth, fold it a couple of times over, and place it between the wire end and the inside of your lip. Don’t use tissue or gum or a piece of bread, as these will get stuck in the brackets. Keep the cloth in place until your appointment.

Having soft tissue irritation isn’t part of the braces experience. We want you to be as comfortable as possible until the day you get your braces off and get to see your new, beautiful smile!