How to stop braces pain: what works, what doesn't and when to call your orthodontist

If you have just had braces fitted and your teeth ache every time they touch, you are in the normal, temporary and slightly miserable part of treatment. The good news is that the discomfort is predictable: it peaks within a couple of days and is mostly gone within a week. This guide covers what helps, in the order we would try it, and the handful of situations that need a phone call to the practice rather than a bag of frozen peas.

Nothing here replaces advice from your own orthodontist or dentist. If pain is severe, getting worse after day three, or comes with swelling or fever, see a registered dental practitioner.

Do braces hurt?

Having braces fitted does not hurt. The brackets are glued on and the wire clipped in; there are no needles and no drilling. The discomfort starts a few hours later, as the wire begins to put gentle pressure on the teeth. That pressure is the point of the treatment, and the ache is the ligament and bone around each tooth responding to it.

Most people describe it as a dull, tender, bruised feeling rather than sharp pain, worst when biting into anything firm. The other source of early discomfort is mechanical: the inside of the cheeks and lips are not used to brackets and get rubbed raw until they toughen, which takes a week or two. Adjustments every 6–10 weeks bring back a milder version of both.

How much it hurts varies a lot between people. Some notice almost nothing; others have a rough first few days. It is not a sign that anything is wrong, and it does not predict how your treatment will go. Our guide to the types of braces explains why they all work the same way.

9 ways to relieve braces pain

1. Eat soft, cold food for the first few days

Yoghurt, smoothies, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, soup, pasta, soft fish, bananas and ice cream are the standard first-week menu. Cold food and drinks also numb sore gums slightly, which is why orthodontists cheerfully recommend ice cream. Avoid anything you have to bite into with your front teeth. Our guide to what you can eat with braces has a full list.

2. Put orthodontic wax on anything that rubs

Wax is the single most useful item in a braces kit. Pinch off a pea-sized piece, roll it, dry the bracket with a tissue and press the wax over it. It creates a smooth cushion between the metal and your cheek. Your orthodontist usually gives you a pack at fitting; replacements are inexpensive and sold at Chemist Warehouse and most pharmacies, and it is harmless if you swallow a bit. Replace it after eating and brushing.

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3. Rinse with warm salt water

Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water and swish gently for 30 seconds, two or three times a day. It soothes irritated gums and helps small cuts and ulcers heal. It is cheap, safe and worth doing for the whole first fortnight.

4. Use over-the-counter pain relief if you need it

For the aching-teeth phase, over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed on the packet can take the edge off, particularly on the first evening and the morning after. Follow the pack directions and your pharmacist’s advice, especially for children, and ask your pharmacist or doctor if you take other medicines or have a medical condition. Some orthodontists suggest a dose before the fitting appointment; ask yours. This guide does not recommend specific doses.

5. Try a cold compress or ice water

A cold pack wrapped in a tea towel against the cheek for 10–15 minutes, or sipping ice water, reduces soreness in the jaw and gums. It is particularly useful on the first night.

6. Keep brushing, gently

Sore gums tempt people to skip brushing, which makes gums more inflamed and more painful. Use a soft-bristled or electric brush with light pressure and a fluoride toothpaste, and clean around each bracket. Inflamed, bleeding gums are a major cause of ongoing discomfort with braces, and they are preventable. Our guide to the best electric toothbrushes includes options with pressure sensors.

7. Chew (softly) to speed the adjustment

Counter-intuitively, gentle chewing of soft food increases blood flow around the teeth and can shorten the sore period compared with avoiding chewing entirely. Do not chew gum or anything hard; just do not live on smoothies for a week either.

8. Wear your elastics as instructed

If you have been given rubber bands to correct your bite, they will ache for a few days each time. Taking them out when they hurt and putting them back in later restarts the soreness every time. Wearing them consistently is the fastest way through it, and the fastest way to finish treatment.

9. Try a numbing gel for ulcers

For a specific ulcer or cut on the cheek, an oral anaesthetic gel from the pharmacy applied to the spot gives short-term relief. Use as directed on the pack. Wax on the bracket that caused it stops it recurring.

How long does braces pain last?

Stage	What you may feel	Typical duration	What helps most
Fitting day	Pressure and tightness; cheeks and lips rubbing on new brackets	First 24 hours	Soft food, wax on anything that rubs, cold drinks
Days 2–5	Aching, tender teeth; biting feels sore	Peaks around day 2–3, eases by day 5	Soft diet, salt-water rinses, pain relief if needed
Week 1–2	Residual tenderness; cheeks toughening up	Fades steadily	Normal diet returns gradually; keep wax handy
After each adjustment (every 6–10 weeks)	Milder version of the first week	2–4 days	Same routine, usually less of it
Elastics (rubber bands) added	Jaw and tooth ache where elastics pull	A few days each time	Wear them consistently; it hurts more if you keep stopping
Poking wire or broken bracket	Sharp spot, cut cheek or tongue	Until fixed	Wax, then book a repair; do not wait for the next appointment

The first week is the hardest. After that, most people describe braces as a nuisance rather than painful, with a couple of tender days after each adjustment. Pain that is still severe after a week, or that gets worse rather than better after day three, is not typical and warrants a call to the practice.

Cuts, ulcers and poking wires

Cheek and lip irritation usually fades as the soft tissue toughens, but a wire end that has worked loose or a bracket that has come off can cut the mouth and will not fix itself. Short-term, cover the sharp spot with wax. If a wire end is poking out at the back, some orthodontists are happy for you to push it flat with a clean pencil eraser or, with care, trim it with clean nail clippers; ask your practice before doing this. Then book a repair visit. A broken bracket or loose band is not usually urgent, but leaving it until the next scheduled appointment can delay treatment.

When to call your orthodontist or see a dentist

• Pain that is severe, or getting worse after day three
• A wire or bracket cutting your mouth that wax cannot cover
• Swelling of the face or gums, fever, or a bad taste that suggests infection
• A tooth that is sharply painful to hot or cold, or throbs on its own, which may point to a problem unrelated to the braces
• Any appliance that has come loose or been swallowed
• Pain after a knock or injury to the mouth

Orthodontic practices expect these calls and usually keep slots for repairs. If your orthodontist is unavailable and you are in significant pain, see a registered dentist; our guide to emergency dentists explains after-hours options. For general treatment information, see our guides to braces cost and braces for kids.

Common questions