Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!

Dental Wax That Actually Stayed On My Braces Through a Full Meal

Purple Star emoji 42 items
Braces wires poking your cheeks mid-lunch, wax falling off after two bites, and that constant raw-mouth feeling that makes you dread eating. If you just got braces or you're deep into treatment and still haven't found products that actually hold up, ...
Sections
6
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dental Wax That Won't Slide Off While Eating

I went through six brands of orthodontic wax before I found ones that survived a burrito. These actually grip the bracket and stay put even when you're chewing.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Grab this if you're tired of reapplying wax every 20 minutes. Stuck to my brackets through an entire pasta dinner and I only noticed because I forgot it was there.
Orthomechanic, Orthodontic Wax, 4 oz, Clear, Pack of 9
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Use this when your inner cheeks are already torn up. The vitamin E actually helps while it protects, and it stayed on through coffee and a sandwich without budging.
GUM Orthodontic Wax for Braces & Dental Devices -with
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Perfect for anyone whose wires shift after adjustments and create new poking spots. Moldable enough to cover weird angles that other wax slides right off of.
Customer reviews for GUM Orthodontic Wax [723] 1 Each
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Keep a pack in your bag for emergencies. Saved me at a work dinner when a wire started digging in. Pressed it on under the table and made it through dessert.
DenTek Wax for Braces, Relief for Irritation, Fresh Mint
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Try this if you've got a bracket that catches your lip every time you talk. Holds its shape better than the flimsy stuff my orthodontist handed out for free.
Orthomechanic, Orthodontic Wax, 4 oz, Clear, Pack of 9
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Switched to this after my old wax kept dissolving in hot drinks. Survived an entire latte and still had to peel it off intentionally. That's how you know it works.
Gum Orthodontic Wax
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Snag a couple of these for your bathroom, car, and desk drawer. Soft enough to mold in seconds but firm enough that soup doesn't wash it away.
GUM Orthodontic Wax for Braces & Dental Devices -with

Braces Pain Relief for After Adjustment Days

Those first 48 hours after a tightening feel like someone is slowly crushing your skull through your teeth. These got me through every single adjustment appointment.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Dab this on before bed after an adjustment day. Numbs the worst spots in about a minute and I finally slept through the night instead of waking up from throbbing.
Orajel 3X Medicated For All Mouth Sores Gel - 0.42 oz
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Swish this around when you've got raw patches from new wires. Burns for two seconds then everything calms down. Way better than salt water, honestly.
Colgate Peroxyl Antiseptic Mouth Sore Rinse, Mild Mint
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Take one about 30 minutes before your orthodontist appointment. My ortho actually told me this trick and it cut my post-adjustment pain in half every time.
Advil, Liqui-Gels Ibuprofen 200 mg, 240 Capsules
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Stick one over a mouth sore and forget about it for hours. Ate lunch with one on and it dissolved slowly instead of falling off. For anyone who gets ulcers from bracket friction.
Customer reviews for Dentemp Canker Cover
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Use this for that one specific spot where a wire end keeps stabbing. Creates a thin coating that lasts way longer than regular numbing gel. Found it after ruining a date night in pain.
Zilactin, Cold Sore Gel, 0.25oz, 3-Pack for Oral Pain Relief
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
The brush applicator makes it easy to target exactly where it hurts without getting numb gel all over your tongue. Precise enough for a single bracket spot.
Kank-A Max Strength Soft Brush Pain Gel for Teeth
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Try this if you want something gentler for everyday soreness rather than full numbing. Took the edge off without making my whole mouth feel like a dentist visit.
Customer reviews for Boiron Camilia Single Liquid Dose

Cleaning Tools That Reach Around Brackets

Regular flossing with braces took me 45 minutes until I found the right tools. Now it takes seven minutes and my hygienist actually complimented me for the first time.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Toss your regular floss. These slide under the wire without a threader and cut my flossing time from forever to a few minutes. Wish someone had told me about these on day one.
Platypus Orthodontic Flossers, Dental Floss Picks, 30 Count
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Bring these if you travel and forget your other tools. The stiff end threads under wires easily and the spongy section actually cleans around brackets instead of just sliding past.
Oral-B Super Floss 100 Strands, Dental Floss for Bridges
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Swap these in for spots where food gets wedged between brackets. The tiny brush heads fit into gaps that floss can't reach. Carry a few in my wallet at all times now.
TePe Interdental Brush Original
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Worth every penny if you hate the tedious floss-threading process. Blasts food out from around wires in seconds. My gums stopped bleeding within a week of switching to this.
White Aquarius ™ Water Flosser
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Keep these in your desk at work. After lunch I spend 30 seconds running one between each bracket and nothing gets stuck there all afternoon. Coworkers don't even notice.
GUM Proxabrush Go-Betweens Cleaners WIDE 10 Count
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
For anyone whose orthodontist said to use regular floss with a threader and you wanted to scream. This combines both so you skip a step. Still slower than Platypus but more thorough.
Oral-B Glide Threader Floss, 30-Count (Pack of 6)
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Use these for your front teeth where brackets are smaller and tighter together. Not a full replacement for proper flossing but perfect for a quick post-meal cleanup in public.
DenTek, Fresh Clean, Floss Picks, Mouthwash Blast

Toothpaste and Rinse for Braces-Prone Staining

Nobody warned me that braces can leave white squares on your teeth when they come off if you don't use the right toothpaste. Panicked, researched, and landed on these.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Switched to this after my dentist pointed out early demineralization around two brackets. Three months later the spots faded. Don't wait for the damage to show up like I did.
Crest Toothpaste, Pro-Health Advanced Deep Clean Mint
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Pair this with your regular brushing routine if your teeth feel sensitive after adjustments. Strengthens enamel around brackets without being abrasive. My teeth stopped aching from cold water.
Sensodyne Toothpaste - Auckland
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Swish this every night before bed. My hygienist said the fluoride rinse is what kept me cavity-free through 18 months of braces when most patients get at least one.
ACT Kids Anticavity Fluoride Rinse, Bubble Gum Blowout
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Use this if you're worried about uneven color when your braces finally come off. Kept my enamel consistent enough that removal day wasn't the horror show I'd been dreading.
Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste Fluoride 4 Pack
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Braces trap food and bacteria in places you can't always reach. This killed the weird taste I kept getting mid-afternoon without burning like alcohol-based rinses do.
TheraBreath, Fresh Breath Mouthwash, 16 fl oz, Mild Mint
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
For anyone who wants fluoride protection but prefers fewer artificial ingredients. Gentle flavor, no weird aftertaste, and my enamel checkups have been clean every visit since switching.
Tom's of Maine 4.0 Oz Whole Care Natural Toothpaste
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Grab the purple bottle. Six-in-one protection sounds like marketing nonsense but my dentist specifically recommended this one. No new cavities in 14 months of braces. That's my proof.
LISTERINE® TOTAL CARE Alcohol-Free Mild Mouthwash

Soft Foods That Don't Taste Like Hospital Food

After every adjustment I lived on yogurt and applesauce until I got creative. These made adjustment week something I could actually look forward to eating during.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Make these super thin and soft on adjustment days. Doesn't require any real chewing and you're getting actual protein instead of your fifth cup of pudding.
Kodiak Cakes Protein Pancake & Waffle Mix
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Cook it a minute longer than the box says so the noodles are extra soft. Comfort food that doesn't require biting down hard. Became my go-to adjustment night dinner.
Is Annie's Mac and Cheese Healthy? A Dietitian Review
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Stock up before your appointment. High protein, cold enough to soothe sore gums, and you can eat it one-handed while doom-scrolling through braces Reddit threads at 2 AM.
Chobani Mango Passion Fruit on the Bottom Vanilla Greek
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Pour this in a mug and sip it. No chewing required, tastes like actual food instead of baby food, and the warmth helps with that deep jaw ache after tightening.
Pacific Foods, Organic Creamy Tomato Soup, 32 oz carton
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Ready in four minutes when you're too sore and tired to cook anything real. Add extra butter and you've got the most satisfying no-chew meal possible.
Idahoan® Dairy-Free Buttery Homestyle® Mashed Potatoes
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Toss a few in your work bag for the day after adjustments. Cold from the fridge they're basically a dessert ice pack for your mouth. Zero chewing required.
Jell-O Chocolate Zero Sugar Ready-to-Eat Pudding Snack
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Drink your breakfast when opening your mouth wide enough for a spoon feels like too much. Enough nutrition to get through a morning without the jaw workout.
Light + Fit Nonfat Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

On-the-Go Braces Survival Kit Supplies

Learned the hard way at a concert that a poking wire with no tools is pure misery. Now I carry a tiny kit everywhere and it has saved me at least a dozen times.

 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Throw this in your bag and forget about it until you desperately need it. Wax, a mirror, and a tool for pushing wires back. Saved me during a wedding reception when a wire popped loose.
DenTek Comfort-Fit Dental Guard for Teeth Grinding
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Brush after lunch without hauling a full toothbrush to work. Fits in a pocket, no water needed, and nobody in the bathroom gives you weird looks. Braces people understand.
Colgate, Wisp Disposable Travel Toothbrushes
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
For when you can't brush but you know there's food stuck somewhere creating a situation. Dissolves instantly and buys you time until you can get to a real toothbrush.
Customer reviews for Listerine PocketPaks Breath Strips
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Keep a few loose in your jacket pocket. Shaped specifically to get under wires without fumbling with threaders in a restaurant bathroom. Discreet and fast.
Plackers, Floss Picks, Designed for Braces, 36 Flossers
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
The V-shaped bristles actually hug around brackets instead of skating over them. Packs flat in a toiletry bag for travel. Noticed way less gunk buildup after switching to this shape.
Orthodontic Toothbrush ~ V Trim + Interproximal Brush
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Snag one of these to keep your wax, mini brushes, and flossers organized in your bag. Stops everything from floating around loose and getting crushed under your wallet.
Dental Retainer Case, Portable Clear Orthodontic
 
Anastasia Wells profile picture
Use these at your desk after snacking. Flexible rubber tips slide between teeth without snagging on wires. Quieter and less obvious than a full interdental brush during a meeting.
GUM, Soft-Picks Advanced, 60 Ct