Is it normal to have swelled gums and/or wounds when you have braces? how can i reduce the swelling? it hurs whenever i am eating. it's annoying.

Not normal if health: If you are healthy, then it is not normal. Better hygiene is essential to stop the condition. Rarely there are allergies to the metal in the brackets or the latex in the elastic. Talk wih your orthodontist and his staff for tips.

Very common: Swollen gums are quite common while in braces because it is more difficult to clean your mouth. Good oral hygiene is critical. You need to brush 3 to 4 times a day, more is better, clean between your teeth with the devices your orthodontist, dentist and hygienist recommend. A water pic will make a big difference in cleaning you teeth and gums.

Aggressive cleaning : The best thing you can do is to keep your braces extremely clean. Make sure that you brush underneath the brackets on the gum side to keep them very clean. Once they have been super clean for a few days the redness, swelling and pain will go away.

See dentist: Swollen gums are not good & are an indication that you are not maintaining well. If they remain swollen throughout the entire treatment, you may end up with moderate gumline problems & decay. My patients use electric toothbrush. They clean much better! consider the oral b as they have many different style brush heads for you to choose from including one for orthodontics. You may need a cleaning.