Stacking pillows is a rookie mistake—I learned that the hard way, too. Honestly, lying flat seemed to make my face feel even puffier, but too much elevation and I felt like my head was in orbit. For me, the magic was in gentle saltwater rinses (once the dentist gave the go-ahead). Ice packs just made my skin numb and didn’t do much for swelling, but the rinses felt soothing and kept things clean. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes less is more when it comes to all these home remedies…
Stacking pillows definitely gave me “head in orbit” vibes too—never again. I get what you mean about ice packs; sometimes they just make your cheek feel like a frozen steak and the swelling’s still there. Did you ever try the whole “don’t spit, don’t suck through a straw” routine? I always felt paranoid about losing the clot, so I basically tiptoed around my own mouth for days. Maybe that’s overkill, but hey, better safe than sorry, right?
I always felt paranoid about losing the clot, so I basically tiptoed around my own mouth for days.
Honestly, I did the same thing after my wisdom teeth came out. The no straw/no spitting rule made me feel like I was living in a dental horror movie—every little movement felt risky. Did you get that weird urge to just...swish your mouth out? I had to keep reminding myself not to. Maybe it’s a bit much, but dry socket sounds way worse than being a little paranoid for a few days.
That urge to swish is real. I caught myself almost doing it a few times, just out of habit, especially after eating. It’s kind of wild how much you notice your mouth when you’re not supposed to do anything with it. I was super careful, but honestly, I did gently rinse with salt water after the first day—my oral surgeon said it was okay as long as I didn’t do it too vigorously. Did anyone else get that odd taste in their mouth from the healing? I kept worrying it was a sign of something going wrong, but I guess it’s just part of the process.
Yeah, I totally get that weird taste thing—mine was kind of metallic for a few days. I was told it’s just the blood clot and the tissue doing its thing. Honestly, I kept double-checking in the mirror just to be sure nothing looked off. Swishing is so tempting but I just sort of let the salt water roll around gently. Eating was a whole new adventure too... mashed potatoes became my best friend for a week.
