It is increasingly common to find adults who decide to end their dental disalignment issues through orthodontics. So, despite having gone through adolescence many years ago, you find yourself wearing braces as if you were back in high school. As if getting out alive from those years would not have been enough! If you are also thinking about improving your smile, here are our tips to make your adaptation to orthodontics as easy as possible.

Are you a full grown adult who decided to put on braces to improve the appearance and health of your teeth? First of all, congratulations, you have made a complicated but brilliant decision. Perhaps when you were a teenager, and it was your turn to orthodontics, you refused because hormones dominated your brain and you were unable to make a sensible decision (not that it is my case at all, ahem, ahem), or you did not have the economic means to do it. Whatever the reason is, US News stated orthodontics in adults is becoming more and more common each time.

However, even though many people opt for Invisaline braces (a much less annoying option), it is more usual, both for its price and versatility, to choose the standard braces or its porcelain version, more discreet and bearable.

Though the first few days can be tough for you, remember that you are not alone. Many celebs have also gone through the exact situation as you, and we are going to give you ten tips that will make these first days much less distressing even without Invisalign aligners.

1. Schedule your appointment for a Friday

Although it is true that each person has a different pain threshold, the first 48-72 hours with orthodontics will hurt, and a lot. And we are not talking about a slight discomfort, but feeling like if the Hulk himself was squeezing each one of your teeth at the same time. If we add that the first thing that your orthodontist is going to prohibit is ibuprofen (teeth move because of an inflammation in the gums and ibuprofen inhibits this inflammation making the teeth move slower), you should know that you have ahead a few days in which you will even find it difficult to fall asleep because of the pain.

Therefore, it is best to schedule your appointment for a Friday. This way, during at least your first two days, you will not have to go to your work exhausted for having been all night without sleep, since it will be weekend.

2. Liquid diet

Since you will be very sensitive, it will be impossible for you to chew during the first few days even if they are soft things. So make sure you have the necessary ingredients in the fridge to take a liquid diet for a few days: vegetables to make yourself purees and soups, fruit smoothies and milk will be your allies to not die of starvation.

3. Use wax

In the case that being full of pain and starving was not enough, orthodontics also delights us with magnificent mouth sores caused by the brackets and the wire that joins them. Luckily, in the pharmacy, you will find a special wax for these cases that are placed between the iron and the mouth, and that will help you in these first days of adaptation in which everything is new, and EVERYTHING hurts.

4. The front camera of your mobile will be your best friend

If everything goes well, after three or four days, you will be able to start chewing soft things, something that a priori is an improvement. However, this progress brings a somewhat unpleasant consequence: the wonderful world of food remains. And if it is quite frequent to end up with leftovers of food without wearing a framework of irons in the mouth, imagine what it can be with orthodontics.

Therefore, when you eat outside, a handy trick is to check that there’s nothing sticking between your teeth with the front camera of your mobile. It seems like if you are reading your Whatsapp and it will help notice whetheryou need to go to the bathroom to clean some remains or, instead, you can continue sitting quietly until the end of the meal. Which brings us to the next point.

5. Welcome to my life, interdental brushes

There will be times when not even brushing your teeth will get rid of all the remains of food. To do so, you will also need to use interdental brushes of different sizes, to reach all corners, including the inside of the brackets themselves. That's why our next advice is that you...

6. Do not leave home without your emergency kit

Get a bag where you always carry the essentials that will make your life easier: toothbrush, toothpaste, interdental brushes of different sizes (it is advisable to take two or three different to reach anywhere), your package of wax and paracetamol in case it hurts. With this, you will be prepared for any plan that may arise.

7. Save your dentist's phone in your favorites

Although it is possible that you suffer any unforeseen event with your orthodontics during the entire time you have them (a bracket falling off, a loose wire coming out and pricking you, etc.), the first days are the most suited for this happening, since it is new, and we are not used to having the proper care. Precisely for this reason, dentists usually give you their mobile phone so that you can write to them whenany doubt or problem that may arise. If he or she does not give his/her number  to you right away, don’t be ashamed and ask for it. You may never use it, but you will feel much safer knowing that you can count on their help each time you need it.

8. Calm yourself, you're not going to talk so weird forever

Although at the beginning you will think that nobody understands you when you speak, this sensation only lasts a few days. Orthodontics makes the placement of our lips change and produce more saliva, which makes us talk a little weird the first few days. It’s ok, you will not end up like Antonio Ozores, your standard diction will return right away.

9. Not without my lip balm

Another consequence of your new ally is that your lips might get a little dry every now and then, so you should add a lip balm to your bag to keep yor lips moist that your orthodontics causes (lips dry out because we tend not to close our mouth completely, as it bothers us).

10. It is one of the most effective "diets" that exist!

Luckily, not all the consequences of wearing orthodontics are bad. Not only are you investing in a considerable improvement of your smile, but it will also serve as a great diet because you will not eat so much between hours to avoid doing all the ritual of brushing and washing. Besides, every orthodontist prohibits to all their patients eating gum, sweets, popcorn, and snacks, so your chances of junk food are significantly reduced.

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