Weeks 3 & 4 - Crest Chemical Burn???

I would say week 3 is AWESOME... but I would be lying.  The braces and my teeth are great... but I am having other issues with my mouth now.  Let me fill ya in on this lil dilemma...

I decided to really push my oral heath into high gear and use this time as a perfect opportunity to teach my daughter oral health basics, which she lacks.  Our adventure started at our local Wal-Mart (which is not a supercenter like most... we are still working with old school Wal-Mart). Anyway... Kayleigh and I spent several minutes down the toothpaste aisle looking for children's flossers, her and the boys new spin brushes, new toothpaste for both her and the kids, more mouthwash, etc...  I have used Crest Pro-Health before with no issues... and I decided to pick up Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection for myself.  I really wanted to make sure I was taking care of my gums and teeth.  Afterall, I did just drop 4 grand on these puppies in my mouth... better take care of the teeth, so I do not throw my hard earned money down the drain. 

Fast Forward through the weekend... I used the new toothpaste and noticed it did sting and burn when I used it... but I figured... it may just be I am not used to the power in it... plus my new sonicare toothbrush finally came off the easy start mode, so it was at full power as well.  Even when I used my mouthwash, it was burning... and this was not changed from the type I just ran out of.  Even though I was experiencing these issues... I kept on using it.

Fast Forward to Monday Morning.... I wake up in the morning, and notice my lips are swollen.  Now, for those who know me... I have naturally larger lips...good kissers ;)  ... but these lips were alot bigger and my bottom lip on the inside was hurting, like my braces cut the hell out of it.  I brushed my teeth in the morning, like always, got dressed and did my face for work... and headed into work.  By the time I got to work my lips were extremely swollen and very painful.  WTF!!!  I started to think that maybe it was the toothpaste causing this.  The next day (Tuesday) was my 3 week check up.  I decided NOT to use the horrible toothpaste Monday night or Tuesday morning, because my mouth was in sooo much pain.  When I went in for my appointment, the dentist points out that yes... I have a chemical burn on my lips from my toothpaste.  A Chemical Burn?  Why is this toothpaste even on the shelf if it causes such painful blisters and such, only after a few days of use? 

So my mouth is on fire and hurting so much from the toothpaste burns, and it is time to change out my rubberbands.  OUCH!  I know Shelly meant well, but she kept pressing against my bottom lip, which is where the burns were the worst.  It took all I had not to cry as she put on my new bands.  I chose to get Green Bands though... in honor of St. Patty's Day which was right around the corner.  Pretty Cool I thought.  She starts to put the bands on (Dark Green and Light Green) alternating between the two colors... but the lighter green color kept breaking upon application.  She managed to get the light green on every other tooth on top, but the bottom, she put all dark green, since yeah... light green had its 'nuff.

Teeth felt great after the appointment.  They were a lil achy and tight (especially the next day), but nothing major.  I think the soreness was masked by the excruciating pain I was experiencing because of that toothpaste.  I noticed that a light green band broke almost immediately on my top teeth. Shelly said it was fine, and not to worry.  And the bottom bracket on one of my molars won't hold the rubber band... Dr. Black had to cut off one of the hooks on it, since I like to bite the bracket. 

Fast Foward to the next week... my teeth feel awesome!  The toothpaste burns have healed finally and I can hardly feel my brackets.  I did however, manage to get a chicken wing (the flat, not the drum) bone stuck on my back bracket at work... I forgot I had braces and was having issues cleaning the meat off the bone, so I turned the wing sideways to chew with different teeth, and the part of the wing where the bones meet hooked onto my bracket, and I had it stuck at work.  That was interesting!!!  Ha Ha.

I go back to the dentist at 6 weeks with braces.... excited!!!