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I’m getting vertical “smoker’s lines” on my top lip. I noticed them just in the past 2 weeks. I think it’s due to 1) drinking all my dark drinks (coffee, tea, red wine) through a straw - that’s some serious puckering I do; 2) force-closing my mouth. Since my bite is pretty open at the moment, I have to make an effort to keep it closed.

Now I’m forcing myself to relax the mouth and keep it open all the time. This forms a yucky film on the brackets and I’m having to wipe and clean them throughout the day, but hopefully the lips will relax a bit.

I’m pretty sure it’s mostly because of drinking through a straw, and I stopped using them. Of course, my ligatures (elastics) will stain much quicker but for the moment I’m not too worried: my next adjustment is in a week!