4/29/12 Anxious

My next appointment is on the 11th of May. I'm really anxious to see what he has to say. I've been using the rubberbands all the time like they say. Though at the minute, I have them off. I ate breakfast and am drinking my tea. I'm hoping that they are doing what he wanted them to and that I won't have to get the TAD screws put in. The thought of them screwing the screws into the bone in my mouth and then attaching springs to my braces does not thrill me at all. I may even tell him that I'll take my chances without the springs. If I don't have them put in, it takes $600 off the cost of my braces. It's not really the cost, just the thought of them putting them in!

Time to go finish some more laundry. Take care and have a great day!

4/25/12 More Rubberbands

I don't know of any other kind of doctor that would give you their cell phone number and tell you to call or text them any time you need something or have questions. He had given it to me before I was officially a patient. The other day I realized that I was running out of rubberbands and would need more before to long. I knew there was no way I could make it by their office after work. I sent him a text message and he said just to contact the office and they would take care of it. I did call them and had rubberbands mailed to me. It's not the first time I've sent him a text message. It just dawned on me now how convenient to have this option.

Take care and have a great day!

P.S. Callouses

I forgot to tell you that I can't leave wax on the lower front brackets. If I do, the inside of my mouth wouldn't build up callouses and it would continue to bother me over and over again. I'd like to leave the wax off in hopes that in a few days, it won't bother me as much!

4/21/12 Sand Paper again

Now that I'm wearing rubberbands and my teeth are starting to meet, it forces me to keep my front teeth together. It's made everything sore including my jaws. I thought I was getting canker sores again in the front lower inside of my mouth. However, after putting wax on them last night so I cold sleep without hurting, the spots are going away. I think it was from rubbing on the front brackets. I feel like I'm getting caught in them. And, the whole area feels like sandpaper. It's definitely a weird feeling when you are use to having the inside of your mouth feel smooth!

Take care and have a great weekend!

4/18/12 Crackers and Rubberrbands

I'm posting from my Nook today and hoping I don't make to many mistakes! I am at work, waiting for the students to finish testing. I decided to have a snack of Ritz crackers. I'm so used to just putting them in my mouth whole. Imagine my surprise when I put one in my mouth and it got stuck! I thought what on earth is wrong with me? Oh, that's right I have rubberbands on! I also discovered that the crackers turn to mush and really get stuck in places in my braces that can't be gotten out with my finger. I've often wondered what people think of me when they see me rooting around in my mouth with my finger! Guess I better start carrying a toothbrush in my backpack! Take care and have a great day!!

4/15/12 Braces and Weight Loss

Hello to all,

I hope this finds you all doing well. Last night my husband and I were watching a news show on TV. They were talking about weight loss and that one of the ways to lose weight besides eating less is to eat slowly. I had always thought that the weight I lost after getting my braces was because of the things that I couldn't eat and from my acid reflux. After seeing that it made me realize that with the braces, I eat more slowly. A lot of it is trying to get the food unstuck from my braces. Another part is because I chew more carefully. I don't want to break any part of the braces and have to face my orthodontist. I have gained a few pounds back from the 16 I lost. I'm comfortable where I'm at now and hope I can maintain it. My mom always said the older I get, the harder it will be to lose weight!

I'm off to do the housework and laundry. Take care and have a great day!

4/13/12 Spaghetti and Salad

I found something else besides quinoa that gets stuck in my braces. The first thing is spaghetti noodles. My husband made a wonderful dinner last night that used veggies from our garden sauteed in olive oil mixed with spaghetti noodles and parmesan cheese. It was delicious. I swear I spent half of dinner picking the darn noodles out of my braces. I should have looked in the mirror to see how ridiculous I looked with all the noodles poking out of my wires! The other thing is salad greens. It actually does look funny to see them in there. Brushing my teeth helps, but I have to floss and also use a really small wire brush to go behind the wires and in between the brackets. Having braces really requires a lot of work to help keep my teeth healthy! I should buy stock in those little wire brushes and dental floss!

Take care and have a great weekend!

4/10/12 Beef Jerky

I love beef jerky. When you have braces, you can not eat it without softening it either in your mouth or by cutting it into pieces and pouring boiling water over it for a few minutes and then eating it. It defeats the purpose if you have to do that, it's just not the same! However, my dear, wonderful husband did an experiment yesterday. He ground some round steak mixed it with all the spices he normally does and then put it through a special attachment for our stuffer and then smoked it. Wow is it good! I admit I have to keep it in my mouth for 30 seconds to soften it just a bit. But, I can eat it and it is wonderful. Now if I could think of a way to eat apples without having to cut them into teeny pieces, things would be great!

I'm off to have some more jerky! Take care and have a great day!

4/9/12 More Rubberbands...

It's weird how after just a few hours of wearing the rubberbands, they become loose. They don't feel loose. However, when I take them off and replace them with new ones, the new ones are much tighter. My lower jaw is sore today. I'm sure it's a result of everything moving again. I'm really anxious for my next appointment to see if he still thinks I won't need the T.A.D. screws. I'm ready to tell him that I will go with what I have and really don't want to use the screws. Keep you fingers crossed that I won't need them. My next appointment is not until the 11th of May, still a month away!

I wish that I knew other adults with braces to compare my experiences with theirs.

Time to check my work e mail. I didn't have time to do it while I was there today. Take care and have a great day!

3/6/12 Rubberbands

I am getting better at putting on the rubberbands and feel like they are doing what they are suppose to be doing. However, I think the worst problem with them is that sometimes the inside of my cheek gets caught under the rubberband and it pinches which really hurts. The other thing that I had happen is that I stuck my tongue out to look at it and the underside of my tongue got pinched by the rubberband. That hurts even more!! The rubberbands seem to be doing what they're suppose to. More and more I can feel my upper and lower teeth meeting. This is a good thing. I'm really looking forward to my next appointment to see if he still feels that I won't have to have the T.A.D. screws to help align my jaw.

Here's a link if you don't know what T.A.D. screws are:
http://www.pressrelease365.com/pr/medical/dental/las-vegas-orthodontics-invisalign-orthodontist-4405.htm

Take care and have a great day!

4/2/12 Debacterol & Canker Sores

The spots on the front of my mouth were canker sores. I ended up going to the orthodontists office after work yesterday to have them put some debacterol on them. It stings really bad and tastes like a campfire, but wow does it work. The skin there turned white and is starting to peel off and you can still see the canker sores. However, the pain is minimal today and I haven't had to put wax on that area yet today. While I was there she bent the hook on the band that I attach rubberbands to and it really helped with that area on the inside of my cheek that was getting so chewed up by it.

I think I'm really not going to do posts that I'm doing okay. Seems like every time I do that, things go bad.

Take care and have a great day!

4/1/12 Shouldn't Have Said It!

I guess I have to stop posting that everything is going well. Between the last time I posted and right now, the inside of my right cheek has gotten all chewed up. I can tell my teeth are moving and there is just a little bit of the wire sticking out of the upper right band on the back molar. I'm not sure if that's what is causing the problem or something else. I had to put wax on it last night to sleep because it was bothering me so much! Oh well, this, too, shall pass!

Have a great day!

3/31/12 Should I Say It's Going Okay?

Things have calmed down somewhat with the rubberbands. I'm still trying to wear them as often as I can and change them whenever I'm going to eat. I do leave them off for a little while to give myself a break. The inside of my mouth is rough and bothers me a little bit, but nothing like I thought it would. My next appointment isn't until May 11th. I might have to get more of the tiny rubberbands from the orthodontists office. Anyway, I didn't want to say I was doing okay. When I've said it in the past, something always happens...

Take care and have a great day!

3/29/12 Exhausted and Rubberbands

First of all, sorry I haven't posted. With my Mom having broke her shoulder last week, most of my spare time is with her. She is an amazing and stubborn woman and I love her dearly.

Now for an update with the rubberbands. It's going well, but my jaws seem really sore at times and I get a headache. I'm not sure if the headache is due to the rubberbands or stress. Maybe a little bit of both. I am wearing the rubberbands as much as I can and change them several times a day. I have to resist the urge when I take the old ones off to change them to shoot them at people walking by!

Take care and have a great day!

3/26/12 Tongue and Sandpaper

Things are going well with the rubberbands. I'm getting better at putting them on. Taking them off is not a big deal. It's hard to do certain things like cheer on the runners in P.E. class. If I open my mouth to yell the rubberbands break! I can't stick my tongue out at my husband either without them breaking. The inside of my mouth is again feeling like sandpaper. I'm sure the use of the rubberbands is making everything move and the brackets are rubbing in places that they hadn't before. It's been just a few days, so am sure that things will be better in a few more!

Take care and have a great day!

3/24/12 Happy Birthday and rubberbands

First, happy birthday to my 86 year old mom!! I love you!

Now, for the whole rubberband experience. This is the second day and so far, so good. The upper left inside of my mouth towards the front was sore a little bit yesterday. I wasn't sure if it was from the rubberbands or the part on the bracket the holds the rubberband on. Maybe a little bit of both. I have eaten with them on, but it is much easier to take them off and eat. Then I put new ones on. My teeth got a little sore Thursday and yesterday but today really aren't. What's sore is my jaw. With the rubberbands on, it forces me to keep my teeth close together, which I am not use to. It's such an odd feeling. I was so excited when the orthodontist said that I may not need to have the T.A.D. screws that I'll wear the rubberbands and do exactly as he says. Maybe I'll even get them off early for good behavior!

Take care and have a great day!

3/22/12 Sorry I haven't posted!

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile. My almost 86 year old mother went for a walk earlier this week and fell outside her condo. She has a broken right shoulder and a cracked rib on the left. I've been there taking care of her and got home a little while ago. For her age, she is doing remarkably well. She will find out Monday if she has to have surgery to repair it. Keep Betty in your prayers please!

I went to the orthodontist today and he is still surprised at how fast my teeth are moving. He said that I may not need to have the T.A.D screws to help the alignment of my jaw. They did no major adjustments other than they added rubberbands to the brackets on both sides. They said I have to change them anytime I eat. There will be times at work that I won't be able to. I'll have to learn to eat with them on. It'll be okay with some foods, the ones that I can get in without having to open my mouth to wide. Right now my jaws are a little sore, but not to bad. It'll be interesting to see how my teeth move and how sore they get or how chewed up the inside of my mouth gets. I'll keep you posted.

Time to go eat dinner. Take care and have a great day!

3/17/12 Caramel

I had really been craving caramel, one of the things I can't eat because I have braces. The day before yesterday I was grocery shopping and came across Mara Natha Caramel Almond Spread. It was in the peanut butter aisle. I just had some today on an apple cut into pieces (can't bite into them whole, it'll break brackets) and WOW is it good. There's just enough caramel flavor to satisfy that craving and enough almond flavor to satisfy the can't eat almonds craving! I think I must have used almost half of the jar but it was well worth it. YUMMY!!!!

Take care and have a great day!

Ellen

3/16/12 Picking at My Braces

I was out yesterday and had a nice croissant with spinach and feta cheese. Later that day I hadn't realize how much of it had gotten stuck in my teeth. Out of habit I started reaching in my mouth to get some of it out of my braces and wow did I get strange looks from a few people. Oh well, guess I should carry a tooth brush in my purse and find a bathroom to use it in. Trouble with that is I do that at work after lunch and still get a few strange looks from coworkers when they come in to use the bathroom.

The nurse at my doctor's office told me yesterday that she was going to get braces. She's a lot younger than I am, so I'm hoping she will get use to them more quickly than I did. I told her to be sure to call me if she has any questions that only a person who has braces can answer.

Take care and have a great day!
Ellen

2/13/12 Sleeping

The past couple of nights after falling asleep after my poor 13 year old son's coughing stopped I slept especially hard on my right side. When I woke up, I had a small sore on the upper inside of my right cheek towards the front. I'm sure it's from one of the little pieces on the brackets that will eventually hold rubber bands or springs if they are needed. I hadn't had this before. I'm sure my teeth have moved more because things feel out of place from where they were before. Not to bad, but enough that the inside of my mouth is sore again. My next appointment is next week. I wonder where this adventure will take me next! More sore teeth, more sore mouth? Oh well, this, too, shall pass. It's spring break and I actually am going to get the loom ready to weave. At least I keep telling myself that!

Take care and have a great day!

3/11/12 Not Only Quinoa!

I thought the Quinoa was the only thing that really got stuck in my braces and took a long time to get out even after brushing. However, we bought some whole grain bread at Costco today. I didn't think to much until I happen to smile at myself in the mirror and saw a bunch of seeds stuck in my braces and between my teeth. They're small, so didn't feel them. Good thing I wasn't going out in public where I smile all the time. I'd hate to think of what people might think when they would see anything stuck in my braces. Oh well. 6 months finished, 21 more to go.

Take care and have a great day!

3/7/12 Sore Teeth a Little

Everything was fine until I went to brush my teeth this morning. I realized that some of my lower teeth were a bit sore, not as bad as right after an adjustment. It surprised me. They're not bad this afternoon, especially after eating a cookie that was a bit hard. I hate that I can't bite into things that are hard. I have to break off pieces, suck on them until they're a little bit soft. Guess it's better than not eating certain things at all! I can tell that my teeth are separating and I've had more spaces between them. I'm not use to that and have to be really careful about brushing and flossing them and not leaving food in my braces for other people to see when I smile at them!

I'm trying to decide what colors to get for the bands that go around the brackets. I got pink and white last time for Valentines Day. I love some of the dark colors, but they really make the braces stand out more. They stand out enough on their own, I don't need to add more to it. Oh well...

Time to go help my husband fix dinner. Don't know what he has planned. Tonight I'm going to work on a Moebius scarf I'm knitting, quite fascinating! Take care and have a great day!

3/4/12 Quinoa

I thought that greens, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, etc and some meats were the worse thing to get stuck in my braces. They don't even begin to compare with Quinoa, a small grain that tastes delicious and is packed full of protein. We had some with dinner. I love it! After dinner, I brushed my teeth, flossed and even used the small brushes that go between my teeth. I'm still finding little pieces of quinoa in my braces. I sure hope that I don't find anymore tonight. Hopefully none tomorrow, either!

Have a great night!

3/3/12 Do I Dare Say It's Okay?

Things have been really good lately. No mouth soreness or teeth soreness. I know that by mentioning this, that I'll have soreness on the inside of my mouth soon. I have a little now and then, but nothing that has required me to use wax on it. Things are good! My next appointment is on the 22nd of this month. 6 months finished, 21 more to go. I've decided that when the 27 months is done with, that I'm telling the orthodontist to take them off done or not.

I'm still having acid reflux problems and was put on a different medication. I am still convinced that the braces have something to do with the reflux. I know one of the medicines I take for my heart palpitations can cause stomach issues, but I've been taking it for quite awhile with no issues. My husband says that my stomach thinks my braces are food and is making extra acid because of it. Oh well, as my mom would say, "This, too, shall pass"!

Time to go do chores. I need to check our veggie gardens and walk around the property to see how everything is doing. Then I'm hoping to get to my weaving loom today.

Take care and have a great day!

2/28/12 Stuck Food

I think the worse problem other than the inside soreness of my mouth and the teeth soreness is the food getting stuck in my braces. It gets really hard to eat sometimes and not stick my fingers in my mouth to get the food out of my braces. My family has gotten use to it, but not sure about my co-workers. Actually, they're a great bunch of people who realize that we all have our own issues! I just don't want to be walking around work and have food stuck in my braces that I didn't know was there!

Take care and have a great day!

2/26/12 Weird

I am doing pretty good, had some weird soreness last week.  It hurt a little bit, but wasn't horrible and went away in a couple of days. This was in front of my lower teeth inside my mouth. I have a roughness on the inside of my lower right cheek that was different than the sandpaper feeling that I had before. Not sure why it's that way... don't really care as long as it doesn't hurt.

I am 53 years old and would never at this point in my life wish time to go by faster. It does that enough on it's own. However, I'm really tired of having braces and wish it was time to have them taken off. I was really depressed the other day walking through the grocery store looking at all the stuff I can't eat because of my braces and acid reflux. I still think there's a connection!

Take care and have a great day. I finished my housework, need to finish my laundry than it's off to the weaving loom to get it ready to weave!!

2/21/12 Again Not to Bad!

Sorry I haven't written anything lately, not much to say. I am still getting a little bit of being chewed up on the inside of my mouth along with pushing up on the upper bands with my tongue. Other than that and being exhausted from lack of sleep, things are doing pretty good. I have my next appointment on the 22nd of next month and hope that things go well with it. I'm really hoping to avoid the TAD screws that he wants to put in later on in my treatment. They actually screw into the bone and then they attach springs from the TAD screws to my braces. I hated having that spring on the lower front. Talk about chewing stuff up. I was miserable for at least a week with that before the inside of my mouth got use to it. Oh well, all in a days treatment.

Take care and have a great day. If anyone has any questions about my experiences with braces, don't hesitate to contact me!

2/17/12 Talking

The student that I interpret for was not at school today. I ended up in my office doing work there and talked for most of the day with the woman I share an office with. It was great and I loved the conversation. However, the inside of my mouth is now all chewed up and so sore. I don't think I can put wax over everything. I know if I tell me husband this, that he'll just laugh at me! He's always telling me I talk to much. Sore mouth or not, I'm not going to stop!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

2/16/12 Better Again

Well, that one spot that was bothering me on the right is gone. I figured it would be. Now there's a spot in the inside of my left cheek that is starting to get sore. Sometimes I think it's from when I eat certain things or if I hold my mouth a certain way. It's been 5 months today that I got my braces and things are getting easier. I'm not depressed really anymore about having them. Like I said last time, I am finding ways around the things I can't eat. The biggest issue right now is the acid reflux and while I'd like to blame it on my braces, I guess I can't totally blame it on them. I'll talk to the GI doctor when I go later this month.

I better go and see how my husband is doing. He's replacing a headlight in my car! Take care and have a wonderful day!

2/13/12 Spoke To Soon!

Okay, I know I said that everything was amazing and nothing was getting chewed up on the inside of my mouth. However, there is a sore spot now on the right inside part of my cheek. I finally had to put wax on the upper band because it's digging into the inside and has made a sore spot. Hopefully it won't last to much longer. If it does, I will call and see if there's something they can do about it.

I know there are so many things I'm not suppose to eat, but have found ways around it. My husband makes the best beef jerky. I tear off little pieces and let them soften in my mouth enough for me to be able to chew them and not hurt my braces. Also, there is no band on the very last molar, so I chew a lot of the hard stuff there. Hopefully I won't hurt the tooth. Somethings are worth the risk!

Take care and have a great day! I am!!!

1/12/12 Still Going Well

So far, this has been the best time since I've had an adjustment done. My teeth stayed sore for a couple of days longer than in the past. That doesn't bother me. It's the inside of my mouth that I'm really amazed at, that it hasn't gotten chewed up like it has in the past. This makes me really happy. The biggest problem that I have now is practicing swallowing the way he wants me to. I have to put my tongue up against the roof of my mouth behind my upper teeth so that I don't push my teeth forward. It was hard to do at first and now it's easier. I still have to remind myself to do it. I suppose the more I do it, the more natural it will become! It's just weird for now.

Time to go do some more housework, then I need to start a new knitting or maybe a weaving project! Take care and have a great week!

2/9/12 Amazing!

I guess I figured that any time I had my braces adjusted that not only would my teeth hurt but that the inside of my mouth would get chewed up, too. I never thought about once the initial movements were made with my teeth that maybe the new movements would be so minute that the area would already be calloused. I know that the inside of my mouth and cheeks can still get caught on things or get chewed up but so far with this latest adjustment nothing has happened. Amazing! My teeth are still a bit sore, but it doesn't stop me from eating what I want to eat. I have some gingersnap cookies that are really hard. I just suck on them until they're a little soft in my mouth and then chew them!

Take care and have a great day!

2/7/12 Ow Ow Ow

Okay, it's really not that bad. My mouth is definitely sore today, mostly my teeth. I haven't had any problems chewing food, though had a soft breakfast and a somewhat soft lunch. Fish for dinner so it should be okay. It's more of an achy feeling in my teeth rather than it being a bad hurting feeling. I have one spot so far on the upper part of the right inside cheek that is sore from the bracket rubbing. It's not as bad as I thought it would be today. They did bend in the part that rubber bands would go on if I needed them so that it won't rub anymore. We'll see how it goes. It might be an Advil night.

Time to go check the garden for some greens for tonight's dinner. Take care and have a great day!

2/6/12 Orthodontist Appointment

Today was my appointment. I finally graduated to a bigger wire on the bottom. He made some adjustments and fixed some of the things that were causing the soreness on the inside of my cheeks and tongue. He told me that my teeth were doing a lot better for it only being 5 months since I got the braces on. I'm hoping that things continue going well. Maybe I'll get to have them taken off early! My next appointment is not until the 22nd of March. Things don't hurt right now. However, I'm sure that by tomorrow the inside of my mouth will begin to be chewed up and my teeth will get sore. I'll keep you posted!

Take care and have a great day!

2/4/12 Appointment is Monday

My next appointment is on Monday at 3:40. I'm hoping I can leave work a little early to be sure to be there on time. The orthodontists office is one of the few Doctors that I go to where you get seen on time most of the time. I'm hoping that day they'll be running behind. If I think I'm going to be late, I will call and let them know. I'm worried about what they'll do and how it will effect the inside of my mouth. Like I've said before, the teeth pain is nothing compared to how chewed up the inside of my mouth gets. I'm going to have them check the bands around the molars to see if the pieces have gotten bent some. My tongue seems to catch on them a lot more then they use to. I'm almost 5 months into having these braces, which means at least 22 more months! Sure hope I can last that long. I know it's to help save my teeth, but at 53, who knows how much longer my teeth will last, even without braces!!

Time to go do some chores, check the vegetable gardens, feed the chickens, etc... Take care and have a great day!

2/2/12 Getting Use to the Sandpaper Feel

I think I'm finally getting use to the inside of my mouth feeling like sandpaper. It's still weird and I don't like it. My tongue seems to gravitate to the areas that feel that way the most. It's just not natural. The top molar on the right side has been sore. I'm not sure if it's from other teeth moving and pushing it back or not. I've notice that there is definitely more space between my teeth then there has ever been in the past. It's a lot easier to get dental floss in between my teeth now. That excites me!

I better go and get dinner started. Take care and have a great day!

1/31/12 MRI's and Braces

My braces are doing pretty good today, little spots here and there that are sore but nothing terrible. I found out I have to have a MRI of my abdomen. They told me that I didn't have to have my braces removed. I was kind of hoping that I would have to. Just to be able to bite into an apple or eat corn on the cob or chicken off the bone. To eat caramel apples! Wow do I miss those things.

Hopefully the MRI will turn out good!

1/29/12 Better finally!

I guess I have to learn to be more patient with my braces. This last round of soreness from the inside of my cheeks seemed to go on and on and on. This morning, however, it is much better. A little soreness on the left, but not bad. I keep hearing about how much teeth pain that people have with braces and so far, I haven't had it except for my upper and lower front teeth. I'm sure they'll come a time when the back teeth will get sore later on in my treatment. The teeth pain lasts for a day or two after they adjust things and it goes away. For me it's the chewing up of the inside of my mouth that causes more pain.

I think I'm getting use to the foods I'm not suppose to eat. Notice I say not suppose to and not absolutely not eat. The only thing I won't try is chewing gum. I have TMJ and chewing gum just aggravates it. My husband made home made beef jerky which is one of the things I'm not suppose to eat. I find if I take small pieces of it and suck on it for a few minutes it's soft enough to eat without hurting my braces. Life is good!

Take care and have a great day!

1/27/12 Heard From Orthodontist/Soreness

I finally heard back from the orthodontist today about the text I sent him two days ago. He apologized for taking so long. It didn't matter to me, I knew he would text me back when he got the chance. He said I could come in this afternoon if I needed to. To tell you the truth, by this morning the inside of my mouth wasn't doing to bad, so I said I would see how it was on Monday. I do have an appointment on the 6th of February, which isn't to far away. I feel like teeth have shifted more than they had in the past. I'll know for sure then and will let you know.

I did see my doctor for my acid reflux. I didn't even mention the possibility that it was from braces. We had other things to talk about. I see him again in four weeks and will mention it to him then if the reflux isn't better.

Take care and have a great weekend!

1/25/12 Ow and More Ow

Today has been a rough day. I know I said that I would contact the orthodontist if this continued and I plan on doing so as soon as I'm done posting this. It use to be when my teeth moved, the inside of my mouth would be sore for a day and then it would go away. Not this time. I'm wondering if I've eaten something or done something to cause this to happen. It doesn't seem like it should be from just my teeth moving.

I took a knitting class yesterday and the talking all day probably didn't help my mouth soreness. Still, I have wax on a good part of the upper right braces. On the other hand, the knitting class was fantastic!

Take care and have a great day!

1/23/12 Soreness & Reflux

The inside of my cheek on the right side is better. I took the wax off earlier today, okay, it came off when I was having snack, and it hasn't been to bad since. The biggest issue I'm having is with the band on the right side feeling like it's pressed into the roof of my mouth. I guess I'll see if I can put up with it for a couple of more days and see what happens.

My reflux is better, but I'm still not convinced that my braces didn't have anything to do with my reflux. I've always had it, but never this bad. I do have a hiatal hernia which contributes to it. However, it got a lot worse within days of getting my braces. I thought at first maybe it was the stress of getting and having them. Then I thought it was because of the changes in my diet. Since both of those are pretty well gone, I'm still wondering. My husband said that maybe my stomach thinks of them as a foreign body or maybe it thinks of them as food and produces acid because of it. I don't know for sure but will check with my GI doctor when I go on Friday.

Time to relax and check facebook. I love how I can keep in touch with people that way. Tomorrow is my knitting class. Take care and have a great day!

1/22/12 OW!

I can't believe that the right side of my mouth is still sore. I even have some other places that are sore as well. The biggest issue right now is the band on the upper right molar. I have come to the conclusion that for some unknown reason to me I suck my tongue up to the roof of my mouth. This puts pressure on the band and the tooth and makes it feel like the band is cutting into the roof of my mouth. I know it isn't really, but it is definitely sore for some reason. Being that it is Sunday here, I won't bother my orthodontist. However, tomorrow I will probably send him a text or call the office. Yes, he actually gave me his cell phone number and is great about answering my texts.

Back to finish off the afghan I knitted. I need to cut and add the fringe. Take care and have a great day!

12/21/12 Chewed Up

For the third day in a row, the right side on the inside of my mouth is chewed up. I put wax on it last night so that it wouldn't hurt while I'm sleeping. This reminds me of when I first got the braces, how chewed up the inside of my mouth was. I have not had this happen since then. If it continues into next week, I will call the orthodontist to see if something moved that shouldn't have. It doesn't look like anything did, but you never know. I'm hoping it will go away soon.

I better go. We got a new freezer and I need to help my husband get it in the house and put back in the food that we took out of the other one. Have a great day!

1/19/12 Soreness & Retainer Info

My teeth are on the move again and I have some sore spots in my mouth, mostly on the upper right side. I'm trying to not use wax on it so that the callouses will build up.

Now for the retainer info. I finally decided that I didn't want to wait until my appointment next month to find out about what kind of retainer I would have when this is all over. I sent my orthodontist a text to find out. He sent one back saying I would not need a permanent retainer which is good. I told him that if he told me that I was going to have to have a permanent retainer that I would absolutely refuse! Good thing he told me that I wouldn't have one.

Time to go knit and relax. Take care and have a great day!

1/16/12 Not To Bad & Permanent Retainer

Sorry I haven't written lately, not much to write. Things still get sore and the inside of my mouth still feels like sandpaper. At least there hasn't been anymore canker sores. I'm surprised! I usually get them when my acid reflux is bad and so far I haven't. My next appointment is on Feb. 6th. I have to definitely remember to ask about what kind of retainer I will have after my braces come off. I think if they tell me a permanent one, I'm going to have them take the braces off right then and there. Okay, maybe I won't do that. I will tell them that there is no way that I will accept a permanent retainer. It will mean that I still can't bite into certain foods like carrots and apples. I'm 53 years old and don't want to never be able to bite into those and other foods again. It doesn't mean I can't eat them. Carrots, right now, have to be shredded for me to eat them. We grow our own and I really miss biting into them. Cutting up apples isn't so bad!

Have a great day!

Friday the 13th! Rougness & Dry Lips

Today being Friday the 13th, not a bad day considering all of the superstitious people here! I have noticed that my lips seem to get more chapped since I got braces. I'm not sure why. I don't know if it's because I hold my lips around my teeth a different way or maybe if I lick them more often. I use more chapstick, but it seems to help. The inside of my cheeks are all chewed up, but it doesn't really hurt. I don't know if I've finally gotten use to the braces and they rub the inside of my mouth or if my teeth are moving and I've built up enough callouses that it just doesn't bother me anymore. Oh well...

Take care and have a great weekend!

1/11/12 Bumps!

Nothing is really sore today. However, I have all these little bumps on the inside of my cheeks. I'm sure it's from the teeth moving and the brackets being in a new spot. They don't move a whole lot, but enough for me to notice how the inside of my mouth feels. It's weird. It's feeling like sand paper again. I miss being able to run my tongue around the inside of my mouth and feel the smoothness. Oh well... someday it will be smooth again!

Have a great day!

1/9/12 Sore Some

I still haven't been able to figure out why I suck in on my lips. It's not just the bottom one, I do it with the top one, too. It really makes the inside of my mouth feel like sandpaper.

My son asked me the other day why I hold my mouth the way I do? It's because I have to pull my lips up and around the braces to be able to close my mouth. I think it makes me look weird. I have noticed that some of the students at work, they do the same thing.

I don't go back to the orthodontist until the 6th of next month. I'm anxious to ask him what is in store for me with the retainer. I think that things are going well and hope that they don't need to put the spring back on.

Time to go do some research for a short project on Russian Culture for the Special Education students at work. Not a big project, just something that I can talk to the kids about. I also need to make something simple to eat for them, too.

Have a great day!

1/8/12 Tired & Lips & Inside

I am so tired today. Late on the night before last I woke up with horrible upper abdominal pain and went to the ER. They couldn't determine what it was from but said that I might have pneumonia on the right side. No meds for it. I think last night I was scared I'd wake up with it again, so didn't sleep well. My lips are so dry from mouth breathing which caused me to suck in on the lower part of the inside of my mouth. If I thought I had a sandpaper mouth before, that was nothing. It doesn't really hurt, just feels really strange! Hopefully this will all pass soon and I'll be back to normal!

Take care and have a great day!

1/6/12 Better-Some...

The soreness that I talked about the past couple of days has definitely gotten better. I'm glad. However, off and on other places in my mouth get sore. I'm not sure why, but I seem to suck in on the inside of my mouth in front of my lower teeth. It makes it a little sore and it's feeling like sandpaper again. I still need to think of someway to keep from doing that, especially when I exercise. The student that I work with is in physical education class this semester and today we walked. I did the same thing. I think if I can carry water with me it might help.

I still get frustrated at times with having the braces. It's been almost 4 months. I hate to wish for time to pass more quickly as time is so precious! I know I'll make it through this and I'm glad that I have a place that I can talk about what's going on with me and my braces. Thanks for reading. I better go and start doing a little research for a project that the Special Ed teacher at school asked me to do. Cultures from Around the World.

Have a great weekend!

1/4/12 Still Sore

My mouth is still sore today, but it's the inside of my left cheek. I can tell that my teeth are moving because some of the upper front teeth were sore today, too. The inside of my lower lip feels like sandpaper. I really miss the smooth feeling that the inside of my mouth use to have before braces! Again, hopefully the soreness won't last long. Usually it's only sore for a day. But, it doesn't mean that another part of my mouth won't get sore. I know I can make it through this and will be happy that I did. I really want to have my teeth when I get older!

It's almost time for dinner. Take care and have a great day!

1/3/12 Mouth is Sore!

I'm not sure why, if it's from exercising yesterday or if it's from something I ate or talking at work today, but the inside cheek on my right side is sore. I had wax on it and it's still sore. I'm hoping that it's not a canker sore. I will put more wax on it after dinner and see if that helps. If it doesn't, and it is a canker sore, I'll call the orthodontist and have them put on some of the medicine they did last time. It stings A LOT when they put it on, but 24 hours later the canker sores are pretty well gone. Anyway, I hope this latest round of soreness in my mouth goes away quickly.

Take care and have a great day!

1/2/12 Braces & Exercising

I was feeling restless today. It's windy outside and I don't want to go outside because of bad allergies. So, I decided to use our Elliptical Machine to help. It's been awhile since I've been on it, but still did a mile! I found that while I'm exercising, I tend to close my mouth a lot and lick my lips with my tongue. This put pressure on the bands in the back and the front brackets. The teeth and the inside of my mouth where the brackets are didn't get sore. However, the bands on the top molar feel like I've pushed them up against the roof of my mouth and the teeth plus the roof of my mouth are sore. I'm hoping it will go away soon. I'll have to remember next time I use the Elliptical to find another way to keep my mouth moist.

Time to find something else to do. Tomorrow I go back to work after being off for winter break. The student that I work with has a new schedule tomorrow, so things should be interesting!

Have a great day!

12/31/11 Happy New Year

First of all Happy New Year to you all! I hope this new year brings good things for all of you!

Second, the spot that was sore yesterday that I thought might be a canker sore, doesn't appear to be. There is definitely something rubbing against that spot causing it to be sore. I had wax on it yesterday but took it off to sleep. I hope that it builds up a callous and goes away. If it stays sore during the day, I'll put wax back on it. It didn't keep me awake last night.

Time to go do some work in the garden. Then inside to weave. I really want to finish the scarf that I'm making and see how it turned out. Take care and have a great day and again, A Very Happy New Year!

12/30/11 A Little Bit Sore

My mouth is a little bit sore today. I'm not sure if it's because things are moving again or if I slept really hard on my left side last night. That's another problem that I've discovered. I'm a stomach or a side sleeper, never on my back. If I lay on my stomach or side, then that side of my mouth tends to be sore the next day. I really don't think there's any way around this. I try to sleep on my back but always flip over.

On another note, I can't believe that tomorrow is already the last day of 2011. It would have been my dad's 90th birthday. I hope that 2012 brings better things in my life and yours!

Have a great day!

12/28/11 Cavity Filled

I had my filling redone today. I was hoping to get away without having to have a shot to numb the area. No such luck! My mouth is still numb, though it is starting to go away. The whole time she was working on my mouth, I was worried about my braces, thinking that something would get broken. It didn't. She's a great dentist. I've been going to her for 22 years and know that she knows what she is doing. Yesterday when she checked my teeth after my cleaning was finished, she told me that she could already see improvements in the alignment of my teeth. That made me happy. I sure hope that the braces do what they need to do. I talked to her about the retainer that I will have to have after the braces are taken off. It seems popular now to have a permanent retainer. I sure hope they don't tell me I have to have one. It would make me crazy to not be able to bite into foods for fear of ruining the retainer. I will definitely talk to the orthodontist at my next appointment if not before then!

Take care and have a great day!

12/27/11 Dentist Appointment

First of all, no cavities except for the filling that fell out that I didn't know about. I have to have it redone tomorrow. The appointment seemed to take forever. They have to be really careful cleaning around the brackets and bands. My mouth isn't sore at all from them cleaning my teeth which is good. I did learn another way to floss my teeth that should help keep the plaque off of my teeth. They gave me a small conical shaped wire brush that's maybe an inch long that I can use between the brackets. It'll last 3-4 months and then I can get another one. I'm hoping to coordinate my next dental cleaning with a braces adjustment appointment. What I can do is go to the orthodontist first, have them remove the wires, go have my teeth cleaned and then go back for them to reinsert the wires and do the adjustment. My next dental appointment won't be until next June, so I won't have to worry about it for awhile.

Have a great day!

12/26/11 Talking & Reflux

The one thing that I'm noticing more and more is that the inside of my mouth is no longer getting chewed up when I talk a lot. Yes, I like to talk! I even talk with my hands! Yesterday at my sister-in-law's house I talked a lot. Many of the people, some that I haven't seen since before I got my braces didn't even notice that I had them. Maybe I've gotten good at talking with my mouth closed.

On the other hand, I'm still having reflux issues and don't know that I can say that it's from having the braces anymore. I'm on a different medicine, started it yesterday. I'm sure it will take awhile for it to start working. I'm hoping that it will as I've lost a few more pounds and am starting to get worried about being underweight. If I lose to much more, I will contact my doctor and see if he has any suggestions.

Time to get back to my weaving loom. Have a great day!

12/25/11 Merry Christmas

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas are having or have had a wonderful day! I will be spending it with my husband's family.

So far, my braces are good, no new sore spots to report!

Take care and have a great day!

12/24/11 Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa

Hello to all! Happy Holidays! So far today has been a good day. The soreness on the right side of my mouth is not to bad. I'm eating an apple with peanut butter. I have to cut the apple into small pieces to be able to eat it. I can't bite into one as it could break the brackets or wires, other parts of the braces, too. At least I can eat them.

Time to do some last minute present wrapping. This morning I found my husband's favorite Christmas candy at Walgreen's. I want to wrap it and get it under the tree. Take care and have a great day. Hopefully my braces will do well through the holiday season.

12/23/11 I Spoke To Soon

I spoke to soon. I woke up today and had sore spots on both sides of the inside of my mouth. I guess things moved since they did the adjustment. I know they're suppose to. I just figured that if it didn't get sore on the inside of my mouth the first day or two that I would be okay. I have wax on the lower bracket on the right side. The left is sore, too, but not as much as the right side is. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be better. I can't keep the wax on there forever. If I do, I won't get callouses built up in that area. I wonder if it would look as funny to have a mouth full of orthodontia wax as it does to have a mouth full of metal!

Have a great day!

12/22/11 Talking

The one thing that I forgot to mention yesterday is that I had lunch with a friend. We sat and talked for 2 hours. Guess what? The inside of my mouth didn't get sore. We'll see what happens this morning. I am meeting 2 friends and I know we'll talk a lot. I haven't see the one friend for awhile. I'm really happy so far with this last adjustment. My front teeth are a little sore when I brush my teeth, but nothing like they've been in the past.

One issue that I am having is with flossing. They give you these special things so that you can thread the floss through your teeth and not bother the brackets or wire. I have a tough time getting it through even with the threaders. When I do get it to go through, it's not like flossing without braces. I know there's plaque built up on my teeth. I do see the dentist next week for a routine cleaning. I wish the orthodontist office would have told me that they can coordinate my cleanings with an adjustment appointment. They take the wire out, I go to the dentist and then back to them to have the adjusting done. Oh well, there's always my appointment in June when I go to the dentist again. I wonder how many people know they can do it this way.

Have a great day!

12/21/11 Not To Bad Today

Things weren't to bad during the night. A little sore at first. My son's coughing kept me awake more than the pain from my braces! This morning my teeth are a little sore, but not like they've been in the past. One more good thing, so far no soreness on the inside of my cheeks. I'm sure I will have some, but hopefully not as bad as in the past. I'm still thankful the spring is gone. Hopefully my teeth will do what they need to do and I won't need it again!

Have a great day!

12/20/11 More Ow

Now my top teeth are getting sore. I didn't think they adjusted anything on the top. Guess they did. Plus, there's a spot on the inside of my left cheek that is feeling more and more like sandpaper. It hurts. I'm going to try and go without putting wax on it, but will if it gets to bad. 3 months down, 24 more to go!

12/20/11 It's Gone & OW!

I had my adjustment appointment today. They didn't do a lot with the top teeth that I could tell. However, he took the spring off and sanded part of my lower front teeth to make more room. He was going to put that darn spring back on and I made a disappointed noise. I got an okay, we can do this another way. Then his assistant put something else on and put the wire back in and the bands across the brackets back on. It hurts just to have the bands taken off, but after him doing the sanding and the final adjusting, my lower teeth are really sore. I'm hoping that the teeth soreness goes away by tomorrow. I'm hoping that the inside of my cheeks or in front of my upper and lower teeth don't get to chewed up from this latest adjustment. At least the spring is gone. I'm sure that is, for now!

We can choose from several colors for the bands that go around the brackets. I had lavender last time. This time I got screaming pink! It makes having them a little more fun!

Have a great day!

12/19/11 Feeling Better

I hope that I didn't upset anyone by my post yesterday about vomiting. It's bad, I agree. It's just that it's one thing that I hadn't thought about when I get braces this time or the time when I was 10 years old. I am definitely feeling better today and am looking forward to my appointment tomorrow. I'll need to plan something on the softer side for dinner. I've noticed that my teeth, especially the front ones seem to get really tender after an appointment. At least they did with the last appointment. Not that they will always get sore, but think that it's a good possibility. I think besides the initial movement after they adjust things, they get sore just from them taking things off and putting them back on. I am still hoping that they will take the spring off. Oh well, on to the days chores. I want to work at my weaving loom for a bit today! Have a great day!

12//18/11 Sick & Braces

My reflux was so bad yesterday. I really think the braces had something to do with it becoming worse than it had ever been. I have no real proof of it other than how I feel. I ate so much junk yesterday, including spicy food that I shouldn't have. I woke up at 4:00 am vomiting. Not to be gross or anything, but it was so yucky to have the vomit get stuck in my braces! I feel better somewhat today, no more of the yucky stuff. But, I'm really tired and have a headache. I can't take any Advil because it could upset my stomach. I'm hoping that this will all be gone by Tuesday. That's my next orthodontist appointment!

Have a great week!

12/17/11 Going Away... 3 months

The soreness on the right side of my mouth has pretty much gone away! Though, again the inside of my lower lip is getting caught in the spring. I feel like I have to walk around with my mouth partway open to keep it from happening. I am still seeing changes in my lower teeth. There is more space between two of them than I have ever had and am hoping that this will make room for other teeth. If that happens, than I will get rid of the spring. If not, I'm sure I'll have to have it for awhile longer. I now have spots on the inside front that are feeling like sandpaper. It's an odd feeling and one that I am sure of will go away when the braces are gone. It was three months yesterday that I got the braces put on. Only 24 months left to go... that is if everything goes as planned and my teeth cooperate!

Have a great weekend!

12/15/11 Holiday Time & Work!

There has been so much food and so much candy at work, it's making me crazy. I am so thankful and so lucky to have a job and such wonderful coworkers! It's just that so much of what we've had or people have given me, I can't eat because of the braces or the reflux. So, I share with others. I really believe it's the right thing to do. My mouth is sore today. I don't know if it's because my teeth are moving or I ate something that caused the braces to rub in a place that they hadn't previously. I'm sure by tomorrow it will be better and I'll eat something else. I'm so glad that tomorrow is Friday and it's my last day of work until after the New Year gets here. I only get paid for Christmas and New Years Day. I don't mind it at all and am glad for the time off. I do have my next orthodontist appointment next week. Hopefully it will go well!

Have a great day!

12/13/11 Talking Again!

You would think that with all the talking I do that I would have callouses built up on the inside of my mouth already. I went to a Christmas party tonight at a friends house and did a lot of talking as usual! I can already tell that it's going to be sore. Does anyone know why this is? As always, this too, shall pass! Have a great night or day depending where you're at!

12/12/11 Almonds

One of the things that I've really been missing is nuts. I do eat peanut butter, but it's not the same. We make our own granola and one of the things that we put in it is sliced almonds. I thought I'd give it a try. I chew them towards the back teeth and so far it has worked great. If I don't put to many slices in my mouth at once, it's great! Now I might have to try slicing other nuts thin, like pecans and some of the others. Also, I read someplace that almonds are good for acid reflux. So far, so good!

Time to go cook dinner. Have a great day!

12/11/11 Christmas Party

Last night we went to a Christmas party at the home of one of my husband's coworkers. It was really nice and I wasn't bored this year! The only issue I had really was all of the talking I did. It really makes the inside of my mouth sore, especially where the spring is. Only 9 more days until my next appointment and the next round of sore teeth and sandpaper mouth!  I'm sure you're all tired of me talking about wanting that spring to be gone. I have a feeling, that there will be more springs in my future.

On the other hand, I can see my teeth have moved and that there are spaces between some teeth that weren't there previously!

Well, the washing machine is telling me it's done. I better go get the clothes taken care of. Have a great day!

12/10/11 Sandpaper Again

My mouth isn't to sore anymore. But, more places on the inside of my mouth feel like sandpaper. They hadn't felt this way before. The area in front of the spring does get stuck in the spring if I suck in on my lower lip at all. Trouble is, I don't realize that I'm doing it until it's to late. I sure hope that they remove the spring when I go on the 20th.

On a good note, my weight has stabilized at 111.8. To me I look thin, but I'm happy to be there and not weigh what I did before. My acid reflux isn't bad right now, but I have to be really careful of what I eat. I'm tired of having to watch what I eat. I really miss spicy food! Oh well. Hopefully one day I'll be able to eat it again!

Have a great day!

12/08/11 Hurting

This morning started off good. That is until I gave my son a kiss goodbye before I left for work. He was still in bed and I leaned over to give him a kiss. I didn't realize he was awake, so he lifted his head up. His chin collided with my lower lip and wow did it hurt. The braces actually cut into the inside of my mouth and it was bleeding. Luckily it didn't bleed for long. However, tonight it's still sore. I put wax across the brackets and the spring to keep the area from getting sore from them. It helped in that way, but it still really hurts and there's nothing I can do for it. I tried some ibuprofen, but it didn't help. Also, there's another spot on the right in the middle of the inside of my cheek that is sore from rubbing against the brackets. If it still hurts when I go to sleep tonight I'll put some wax on the brackets.

I am not one to give up on things. I have a high tolerance for pain. However, I'm really tired of my mouth hurting!
Oh well, on to facebook to see what's up there. Have a great day!!

12/07/11 Chewed Up Again

Well... the inside of my mouth is getting chewed up again. I guess I need to sit down and talk to the orthodontist to be sure that this is all normal. My last appointment was awhile ago. I guess the way that things are now, they move a little at a time rather than like the old times where they move all at once. I don't like the chewed up feeling on the inside of my mouth. However, I'd rather have it then to have canker sores.

Time to go knit and forget about braces for awhile!

12/05/11 More spring issues & stuck food

Are you tired of me complaining about the spring yet? Today the inside of my mouth kept getting caught in the spring today. I was sure I would end up with another canker sore. So far, nothing.

My husband made a great dinner tonight, smoked fresh tuna, sweet potatoes and broccoli from our garden. Everything tasted so good. However, the tuna and the broccoli kept getting stuck in my braces. I really hate that I have to take so long to eat. Seems like half the time is trying to pick food out of my braces. I sure wish there was an easier way to take care of my bite problems!

12/03/11 Next Appointment

My next appointment is on the 20th of this month. I'm nervous about what they will do next and how sore it will make the inside of my mouth. I'm hoping that they will remove the spring from across those front lower teeth. I don't mind the teeth pain so much. It goes away in a day or two. It's how chewed up the inside of my mouth will get from my teeth moving along with where the brackets and wires end up. I have a lot of dental wax that I can put on the braces where the sore parts are. However, you can't do that forever. If you did, you would never build up callouses. Plus, it's hard to eat with the wax on. I've swallowed it a few times. I don't think it'll hurt anything when I swallow it, but don't  want to swallow to much.

Our weather here in Arizona has finally gotten to be on the cool side. It's 51 degrees right now. For us that's cold considering our summer temps are sometimes over 110 degrees!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

12/01/11 Sandpaper

I keep running my tongue around the inside of my mouth and decided that it feels like sandpaper. The only area that doesn't is in front of my upper front teeth. Also, in the very back of my mouth where there isn't any part of the braces. It feels weird, like there is something wrong. I know it's where my mouth is becoming calloused due to the braces. I just wish it felt normal.

I've been hearing about more adults that have or have had braces. A few of them have told me that they have to wear a permanent retainer after they get their braces off. I am hoping that I don't have to have that. If I do, it means I still have to modify my eating habits and will not be able to bite into apples, buns and probably won't be able to have sticky foods. I don't know if I can make it through life without being able to bite into a big, juicy apple! Though I'm sure I will if it comes to that!

11/29/11 Braces and Endoscopy/Colonoscopy

Today I went for my Endoscopy/Colonoscopy. Because my brother died of colon cancer, I have to have mine repeated every three years instead of every five to ten. With all that I had to worry about getting ready for the tests, my biggest concern was with the endoscopy. They told me that I had to put a thing in my mouth to keep it propped open for the endoscope. I kept telling them I was worried about my braces and that I didn't want to have to take another day off to go to the orthodontist to have my braces fixed. Once they got the device in my mouth, I asked if they would take it out as soon as they were done with that part of the procedure. They told me yes. As far as I can tell, there are no problems from having it done. I'm thinking that it'll be great that the next time I have to have this done, that my braces will be hopefully gone.

Not that any of you really want to know, but they did find one polyp in my colon that the doctor thought was not cancerous. They will biopsy it anyway to be sure. I had a narrowing of my esophagus that they stretched. All in all, I'm just really tired from the anesthesia.

11/28/11 Spring

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days. Things have been hectic and the mouth hadn't been doing bad. But, today the spring that's across a couple of the lower teeth in the front has been digging into the inside of my mouth. I don't know if I'm sucking in on my lip, but don't realize it. I'm hoping this passes soon. I think the worst part of the braces is the damage it does to the inside of my mouth. I think tonight's going to be a night with was across the spring!

11/26/11 Cheese

My sister in law brought a cheese platter to our Thanksgiving dinner. I think there's four or five different cheeses on there. My favorite is the smoked cheese. It's really good. I thought other foods got stuck in my braces! However, I think that cheese is one of the worst. That and salad. It's funny to see all the food that gets stuck in my braces. I know that I'm suppose to brush my teeth so that the food doesn't just sit and there and cause me issues. I don't always brush them right away. It ruins the taste of what I've just eaten. Sometimes I do brush without tooth paste and it's not so bad.

Back to winding my hand spun yarn for my next weaving project. Have a great day!

11/25/11 Moving again!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was Thanksgiving here and we were busy preparing food for family and friends. It was a great day and yes, my reflux kicked up again. I'm definitely going to have to watch what I eat for a few days and this is with boxes of candy on the table!

My teeth were a bit sore last night, things must be moving again. With only going to the orthodontist every six weeks or so, it makes it seem like things are going to slow. I can tell things are moving the way that they are suppose to be as my front teeth are actually starting to touch when I close my teeth together. I'm hoping that if things go good, that I won't have to have the T.A.D. screws. When they put them in, they have to screw them into the bones near my teeth. Then they use springs to pull my jaw together properly. I haven't enjoyed the screw that they put across my front teeth to make room for the one front tooth. Guess if I do get the screws, I'll have to invest in more dental wax!

Have a great day!

11/23/11 It Worked

Well, the canker sores are pretty well gone. I don't know if it was the medicine or it was just their time to go. They felt better the night that I had the stuff put on them. But, the next day they were still hurting and I used some of the over the counter medicine that I bought at Walgreen's. Today, they are almost gone. You can barely see them now and they don't hurt. I am really considering calling the dentist to have her get me a vial of it, even with the cost. I still think that if I bought some, that I won't get anymore canker sores. It would be worth it to me.

Tomorrow is our Thanksgiving here. I'm excited. I think we'll have around 25 people here. We're making the turkey and stuffing and everyone will bring something. I think this year it's all family. I better go and get tonight's dinner going. Take care and have a great day!

11/22/11 It Worked & Didn't Work

The medicine for the canker sores that I had put on yesterday worked on a couple of them. Two of them look better, but two of them are still really sore. I was going to call the orthodontist but don't know that it would do any good. I'm hoping that eventually they will all go away on their own. If they're not better by tomorrow I think I'll check in with my dentist. She is a wonderful woman who always takes her time with me when I call her during non office hours. She may know of something else to do for them. The trouble is if she calls any medicine in for me I have to pay full price for it since my regular health insurance doesn't cover what she calls in. That and my dental insurance doesn't cover prescriptions. Oh well, maybe it's time to look for more home remedies!

Have a great day!

11/21/11 Medicine for Canker Sores

Hello to all,
I went to the orthodontist today and got some medicine put on my canker sores. Wow did it sting. He said it would feel like it wasn't getting any better for a few hours and that by this evening it would start to feel better. I'm sure hoping so. The medicine is called debacterol. You can buy it but for a very small vial of it is around $65. I really don't want to spend the money on it but figure if I did, that I wouldn't ever get another canker sore. It would last a long time as they used very little of it on me. I'm going to check into it. I'll keep you posted on whether the sores go away soon or not!

Have a great day!

P.S. Any Ideas

I would love to hear from anyone reading this if you have any home remedies for canker sores!

11/20/11 Canker Sores Again!

I love the fact that I can text my orthodontist and he'll answer me back. Got to love technology! Unfortunately, there was little to do for me until they open tomorrow. He did suggest that I can my dentist, which I did. She told me several over the counter things I could do and that if they didn't help, I could come by the office tomorrow and she, too, could put something on them. She said it hurts like heck, but that it takes care of them. I'll decide tonight if I'll go to the orthodontist first thing or her later on in the day. What I bought at Walgreen's seems to be helping. I have taken two doses of my acid reflux medicine to see if that would help, too. I don't want to take to much of it because it makes my heart race and makes me very jumpy. Hopefully by tomorrow they'll not hurt so much. I will definitely keep wax on the lower brackets and take the medicine to work with me just in case!

Have a great day!

11/18/11 Canker Sore

I was doing pretty good until I chewed on something and the inside of my mouth got caught in the spring that runs along some of the front teeth on the bottom. Wow is it sore. I had to put wax on it. I'm hoping that if I keep it on the sore will go away! I'm not giving up on having braces, but again am tired of them. Still, I'm a lucky woman and will see this through. Hope you all have a great weekend!

11/17/11 Only a little sore!

The inside of my mouth became sore again today. It's not bad. Nothing I can't handle. In many respects, braces are so much easier now than when I was 10 years old. Though, being 53 now, I am definitely less tolerable than I was back then! I hate to say that I wish the time would go by faster. I'll be 55 when I get them off. That makes me feel so old!

I'm tired tonight, long day at work. I am a sign language interpreter at a middle school here. They had a guest speaker in science class today, very interesting but wow did he talk fast! It wore my out. I'm going to go to sleep now and hope that where ever you are that you will have a good nights sleep or a great day!

11/16/11 Still Okay, maybe!

My mouth is doing okay today, sore at times, but okay at others. I haven't eaten anything that would bother them yet! The trouble is, I keep seeing things that I want to eat, but can't. I have a craving for caramel, a forbidden food because of the stickiness. I also, would love to bite into a big, crisp, juicy apple, something else that is also forbidden. Really, when I had braces as a child, I didn't care that I couldn't eat those things. Now as an adult, I really MISS them! There's more than just those two things. However, I am resilient and will get through this. If only now, I can get rid of the headache that I have, life would be pretty good. On the other hand, life is great and I am indeed a very lucky woman, even if I do have braces!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

11/15/11 A Little Bit Better

Today the inside of my mouth is doing better today. I guess I can't complain because when it does get sore, it seems to go away the next day! I'm getting use to them more and more everyday. The one thing that I refuse to let my braces do is take away my smile! I smile everyday and really don't care what other people think of my braces!

Hope you all have a wonderful day! I'm definitely trying to. I'm going to try and finish sewing a baby quilt that I started for a teacher at work!

11/14/11 Moving Again

My teeth must be moving again. I have spots on the inside of my mouth that are all chewed up from where my teeth are moving. I can't imagine that my teeth move very much at one time. It must be just enough to have the brackets, etc. move enough to make things hurt again. I really don't mind the teeth pain, it's easy to deal with. However, having the inside of my cheeks and in front of my upper and lower front teeth all chewed up is the thing I hate the most.

On the other hand, I can already see improvements in my bite and the alignment of my teeth.

I'm off to bed everyone. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

11/13/11 Apples & Peanut Butter

I had apples and peanut butter today for lunch. I've had it before, thought that the peanut butter would get caught in my braces, but hasn't and it tastes great with the apples! I still have to cut the apples into small pieces. I love apples, but really miss biting into a good crisp apple. Oh well, hopefully I'll be able to some day!

My bottom teeth in the front are sore a little bit today. Not a lot. But I do notice it. I'm sure by tomorrow this pain will be gone. It's hard for me to get use to that every so often the braces make my teeth move and they're sore again. When I had them when I was 10-12 years old, it seems like I would have them adjusted and my teeth would hurt for a day or two and then not hurt again until the next adjustment. Still getting use to it all!

Hope everyone is having a great day!

11/12/11 Talking Again!

The inside of my mouth was doing pretty good. However, we went to a retirement seminar and there were friends of ours from my husband's work there. Yup, we talked. I'm not sure why it makes the inside of my mouth so sore when I do.

One of our friends that was there is thinking about getting braces for the same open bite that I have. She's waiting until her daughters are both out of braces before she gets them. Her sister just got them. I told her my views on the subject. Not that if I had to do it all over again that I wouldn't. But for her to be prepared how it changes your eating habits, how moody I am. Because she had them in her teens, we both decided that when you get them when you're young, you are definitely more tolerant of the things you can't do. Or you do them even though you know you'll get in trouble, but don't care. As an adult, we are less tolerant of the things we have to give up and less tolerant of the pain! I still have fears from when I was 10 of being yelled at by my orthodontist and it's been almost 40 years since the last time I saw her!

11/11/11 Croissants

I went to lunch with my Mom, niece who was in town and my youngest son today. It was great. We went to Paradise Bakery. I had a sandwich and had them put it on a croissant. I still couldn't bite into it, but was able to chew it just fine. They're soft all the way around. I was so glad I was able to eat it, had a whole sandwich instead of a half. I gained a pound back. I think if I quit worrying about my issues at work and do what I can with my my son and his not doing his homework that my stress level will go down and I won't lose so much weight. Though, weighing a little less at the holiday time is a good thing. I can eat to my hearts content!

11/10/11 A Little Less Sore

Well, the inside of my mouth is a little less sore today. I was actually able to take off the wax from the upper side in my mouth in front. I can feel it's a little sore, but the canker sore hasn't come back yet.

Still stressed! I know my job is part of it, so is problems with my son not doing his homework. The braces still stress me and seems like it all got worse when I got them. I know it's not all the braces. They just aren't making it any better.

My stomach is yucky plus I haven't gained any weight back. I think part of it's the change in diet from the braces and part of it's the stress. Oh well...

11/09/11 Still Sore

The inside of my mouth is still really sore. The worst spot is in the left front top teeth. As long as I leave the wax on, it's okay. If I take it off for even 1/2 hour, a little canker sore appears. I know that the orthodontists office said they have stuff they can put on it to get rid of the canker sore. Who has time to go over there? It's not on my way home. I will ask if they can give me some to take home or if it's something that I have to go to the office to get. I'm hoping that my mouth will feel better tomorrow. Otherwise I'm going to have to use a lot of wax!

11/08/11 Sore

Okay, my knitting class was great. I learned a new technique. However, after a 7 hour class, the inside of my mouth is so sore from all the talking I did. It was well worth it and I'm hoping that the soreness will go away tomorrow. I'll let you know!

11/08/11 Still Wondering

I'm still wondering if any of my physical symptoms are caused by the metal in my mouth. Mostly the acid reflux issues. I've tried asking the doctors about it and they just give me a blank stare. I'll have to check with the orthodontist to see what they think. I still don't like having them on and still wish I hadn't gotten them. I've heard from a few people that had them removed for the reasons that I mentioned and they've all said they wish they hadn't had them taken off. I just don't know if I can go through 2 years of this. I'm sure it's the other stresses in my life and I'm trying to pass blame on my braces. Seems coincidental that my stomach issues became worse when I got my braces on. Oh well... off to my knitting class!

11/07/11 Eating Time

I knew that it took me longer to eat than it use to before. However, it was definitely more noticeable at dinner tonight. My husband made a wonderful salad with fish on top of it. Normally I'm done at the same time as my husband with our 13 year old son lagging behind. Tonight, I was the last one done!

My son gave me a hug today when I got home from work. I love his hugs. But, we bumped each other and he hit my mouth. It made the top bleed just a tiny bit and the bottom where the spring is, is really sore now. Oh well, I'm sure it'll be better by tomorrow. I'm taking the day off to go to a knitting class. Hopefully my mouth won't be sore as I'm sure I'll do a lot of talking!!