Interesting to hear your take on antiseptic mouthwashes—I was actually pretty nervous about using anything besides saltwater at first. My dentist did mention antiseptic rinses as an option, but I was worried they'd sting or irritate my gums even more (anxiety talking, maybe?). Saltwater felt safer somehow, even if it tasted awful. Might reconsider next time though...sounds like the antiseptic rinse wasn't as harsh as I imagined. Totally relate on the pillows—felt silly but worth it for less swelling. Recovery really does seem so random sometimes.
Glad you mentioned the antiseptic rinse thing—I hear that concern a lot. Honestly, most antiseptic mouthwashes these days are pretty gentle. They might have a slight sting at first, but it's usually mild and fades quickly. Saltwater is definitely a safe bet though, especially if you're anxious about irritation. I always tell patients to go with whatever makes them feel comfortable—less stress usually means better healing anyway.
And yeah, the pillow trick is underrated! It feels goofy stacking pillows like you're building a fort, but it really does help keep swelling down overnight. Recovery can be so unpredictable—I've seen people bounce back in days while others take weeks for the same procedure. Everyone's body just has its own timeline, I guess.
If you do decide to try an antiseptic rinse next time, maybe start with something alcohol-free or specifically labeled as gentle. Those tend to be less intense and still effective enough to keep things clean without freaking out your gums.
Hang in there—sounds like you're doing all the right things already!
Totally agree about the pillow stacking—felt like I was building some kind of medieval fortress around my head, but hey, it worked. As for antiseptic rinses, I tried one labeled "gentle" last time and honestly didn't notice much difference from regular saltwater. Maybe my gums are just drama queens, who knows... Recovery really is a lottery though; my first extraction healed super quick, second one took forever. Bodies are weird like that.
Haha, totally relate to the pillow fortress situation—felt like I was prepping for battle every night. About the antiseptic rinses, I had a similar experience. My dentist recommended a "gentle" one too, but honestly, regular warm saltwater did just as good a job without the weird aftertaste. Recovery really does seem random though; my friend breezed through hers, while mine dragged on forever. Guess our gums have their own personalities...hang in there, hope it gets easier soon!
Did you really find saltwater just as effective? I tried it at first, but honestly felt like the antiseptic rinse sped things up noticeably. Maybe it's just placebo, or my gums being picky...but worth the extra few bucks imo.
