Ice packs were a lifesaver for me, more than any of the meds they gave.
Totally agree about the ice packs. After my wisdom teeth came out, I basically became best friends with a bag of frozen peas. I tried the fancy gel packs but honestly, peas just mold to your face better. My jaw felt like it had done a marathon—sore, stiff, and kind of insulted that I’d put it through all that.
One thing I did differently: I started gentle jaw stretches after a couple days. Nothing wild, just slowly opening and closing my mouth a few times so it didn’t lock up. Helped a lot with the stiffness, but I waited until the worst pain was gone.
And yeah, that “don’t spit” rule is weirdly hard to remember. I caught myself almost doing it out of habit. If you’re craving something cold, popsicles are amazing—just don’t go for anything too chunky or icy that could poke the site. For me, it was all about baby steps: ice, soft foods, salt water rinse (but only after the first night), and lots of patience… plus some Netflix binging as a distraction.
Frozen peas are honestly a game changer for stuff like this—way cheaper than those gel packs, and you can reuse them. I totally relate to the jaw stiffness, too. I was hesitant about the jaw stretches at first, but easing into it really did help me avoid that locked-up feeling. Popsicles were my go-to as well, especially with generic brands on sale... no shame in that. Recovery does take patience, but it gets better day by day. Hang in there; it’s rough, but you’ll get through it.
I hear you on the frozen peas—they saved me more than once after dental work. Funny thing, I actually found warm compresses comforting after the first couple days, especially when my jaw felt extra tight. Did anyone else notice certain foods making the soreness worse? I had to give up crunchy stuff way longer than I expected...
Did anyone else notice certain foods making the soreness worse? I had to give up crunchy stuff way longer than I expected...
Oh man, same here—chips were a distant memory for weeks. Honestly, I tried to sneak in some toast too early and instantly regretted it. The budget hack for me was living off instant mashed potatoes and cheap yogurt. Soup’s a winner, but only if it’s not too hot. Anything with tiny seeds (looking at you, strawberries) was a nightmare. Crunchy foods are overrated anyway... at least until your jaw forgives you.
I totally relate to the seed issue—raspberries were a disaster for me. I was surprised even soft bread was tough to manage at first. Ended up eating a ton of scrambled eggs and ice cream, honestly. The weirdest part is how long it takes before you can chew normally again...
