People often ask me what is needed in preparation for getting an adult expander, so I created this “must-have” list of essentials that helped me survive two palatal expanders.
- Travel Water Pik: https://amzn.to/4psl41L
This little guy is pretty powerful for fitting in your purse or pocket. I take this with me EVERYWHERE. At the restaurant, on trips, on a hike – it’s the first line of defense for me to get food out of my expander. It is my holy grail of waterpiks.
- Water Flosser: https://amzn.to/49YyJbX
This is my at home waterpik, and I recommend this one because it’s cheap, compact, cordless, and it’s charge lasts a long time. You technically could even travel with this one, but if you get the travel one, you will see why even this one is cumbersome to take with you in comparison. No need for any bulky countertop device – this one is perfect for your needs. I typically use the soft bristle head (it comes with 5 different heads) as it’s soft enough to squirt right onto the palate. Also has different speeds.
- Soft Picks: https://amzn.to/4aEbYdB
Because these are slightly angled, they are the best for getting into the angle of the palate and expander, and getting food out. Highly recommend to keep alongside your travel waterpik.
- Dental Tweezers: https://amzn.to/4oANxkx
When the waterpik and soft picks aren’t enough to get that piece of food out of your expander, that’s when you’ll want to reach for a pair of dental tweezers. These are a godsend when nothing else will work.
- Tongue Guard: https://amzn.to/4aEbPa3
I recommend this for the first month you get your expander in, but especially that first week. If you get an MSE or MARPE (or any other expander with “arms” on it), your tongue will get really cut up and sore. Don’t fret! Your tongue will adjust. But some days, you need a few hours off from the whole device. That’s exactly what this product does.
- Gishy Goo: https://amzn.to/3Knp1Wi
Are your screws hurting your cheeks or tongue? If so, this also comes as a great relief. This is essentially a silicone epoxy that hardens in 10 seconds and creates a soft bumper over whatever specific screw is causing pain. It is stronger than wax and stays put for hours. This is my go-to for when I’m getting really cut up by TADs and wires.
- Colgate Gum Health Mouthwash: https://amzn.to/3Ycb4xw
Periodically our gums with feel inflamed due to the TADs. I have found this mouthwash to contain the magic ingredient for speeding up gum recovery: Cetylpyridinium chloride. I haven’t found other mouthwashes with this ingredient, but I am sure they are out there. This brand is my favorite because it’s also alcohol-free, meaning this girl with Celiac Disease can use it safely. I recommend this product for after everything is healed. I do not recommend this in place of the prescription mouthwash used for the first week.
