Your son's marshmallow description is spot-on—I remember feeling exactly the same way when I first got mine. Honestly, it took me a good three weeks before I stopped noticing it constantly. Your tip about rinsing with cool water is interesting; I always used lukewarm water because I thought it would soften it up, but now I'm wondering if cooler water might've been better. Might give that a try tonight...
Also, totally relate to the disappearing case mystery. I swear mine has legs sometimes. I've found it in the weirdest places—once even in my sock drawer (still no idea how it got there). Keeping it in the same spot definitely helps, but I've learned to double-check before bed just to avoid those late-night panics.
Anyway, you're right—it does get easier eventually. Before long, it'll just become second nature, and she'll barely notice it's there. Hang in there, sounds like you're doing all the right things.
"Also, totally relate to the disappearing case mystery. I swear mine has legs sometimes. I've found it in the weirdest places—once even in my sock drawer (still no idea how it got there)."
Haha, glad I'm not alone with the wandering mouthguard case! Mine once ended up in the fridge—no joke. I must've been half-asleep or something, but there it was, chilling next to the yogurt. Still scratching my head over that one...
About rinsing with cool water—I actually switched from lukewarm to cool a while back and found it made a noticeable difference. Lukewarm water always seemed logical to me too (softening things up and all), but cooler water just feels more refreshing and seems to reduce that weird plasticky taste faster. Might be worth experimenting a bit to see what works best for you.
And yeah, your son's marshmallow analogy is perfect. I remember those first few weeks vividly—felt like I had a giant gummy bear stuck in my mouth 24/7. But you're right, eventually you just stop noticing it altogether. Now it's second nature; I pop it in without even thinking about it.
One thing that helped me keep track of mine was getting a brightly colored case instead of the standard clear or white ones they usually give out. Sounds silly, but having something neon green or bright orange makes it way easier to spot when you're frantically searching at bedtime.
Anyway, sounds like you're handling things really well already. It definitely gets easier from here on out... hang in there!
Haha, fridge beats sock drawer any day... yogurt-flavored mouthguard sounds like quite the wake-up call. Good tip on the brightly colored case—I went neon pink after losing mine for the third time, and now it practically glows in the dark. Also agree about cooler water; lukewarm always felt weirdly slimy to me. Cooler just feels cleaner somehow. Glad to hear it gets easier eventually—still waiting for that gummy bear feeling to fade...
Totally with you on the cooler water—lukewarm just feels off somehow. Ever tried adding a tiny bit of mouthwash to the soak? Helps keep it fresh, especially if you're sensitive to that gummy bear sensation. Neon pink's smart; I went for bright orange after losing mine twice (once found it under the couch...still a mystery). Does anyone actually get used to wearing these things long-term, or are we all just pretending it's normal at some point?
Funny you mention the mouthwash trick—I actually found it left a weird aftertaste for me, kinda minty-plastic-y? Maybe I overdid it though. I started using a denture cleaning tablet instead (yeah, felt weird buying those at first), and it's been surprisingly effective. As for getting used to it...honestly, mine still feels foreign most nights. I've just accepted that "normal" might never happen, but hey, at least I'm not losing it under the couch anymore.
