Little things that helped me avoid post-surgery infections

The chlorhexidine rinse is so nasty, right?

The swelling freaked me out too - mine actually looked worse on day three before it started to improve. Guess patience is part of the deal.

I can totally relate to this. I kept checking the mirror, convinced something was wrong because the swelling just kept getting puffier for a couple days. It’s wild how your face can look so different overnight. I remember texting my friend a photo and she said I looked like a chipmunk storing snacks for winter… at least it made me laugh.

Honestly, the chlorhexidine rinse was rough for me too, but I kept reminding myself it was supposed to help. I found that swishing it really gently made it a bit less gross, and I’d sometimes chase it with a sip of cold water (not sure if that’s “allowed” but it helped me not gag).

Comfort food was basically my survival plan, too. Applesauce, pudding, and mashed potatoes were life savers. It’s so easy to get anxious about every little twinge or weird taste, but like you said, patience is key. It does get better, even if it feels endless in the moment.

My kid looked like a squirrel for a week after her surgery - she actually thought it was hilarious, which helped. Did you find the swelling made eating even soft foods tough? We stuck to smoothies and yogurt for a bit. The rinse was a battle, though... she hated the taste. Did you notice any weird aftertastes?

The rinse was a battle, though... she hated the taste. Did you notice any weird aftertastes?

Haha, I can totally relate - my son gave me the stink eye every time I handed him that rinse. He swore it tasted like salty metal, and honestly, I tried it once out of curiosity and... yeah, not great. We ended up letting him use a straw for smoothies, which helped with the swelling and kept him from getting too grumpy about food. Did your kid have trouble with soups too? Mine thought even lukewarm broth was “too spicy” after surgery, which cracked me up.

My daughter flat-out refused the rinse after the second day - she said it tasted like “old coins.” I tried mixing it with a bit of cold water, but that didn’t help much. As for soups, she actually preferred thicker ones like potato or carrot, but only if they were room temp. Anything remotely warm was “stingy.” Popsicles and yogurt were her go-tos for a while. Funny how taste buds go haywire after surgery...

That “old coins” description made me laugh - my grandson said something similar after his wisdom teeth came out. He wouldn’t touch the rinse either, no matter how much we tried to disguise it. I’m curious, did you ever try any of the flavored rinses from the pharmacy? I’ve wondered if those are any more tolerable, or if it’s just the sensation that bothers them. And with soups, I always found room temp easier too... hot stuff just set my mouth on edge for weeks.

Flavored rinses are hit or miss, honestly. Some folks find the minty ones less harsh, but for others, it’s more about that weird tingling or just the act of swishing when everything’s tender. I’ve seen a few people do better with plain saline, too - less taste, less sting. And yeah, hot soup is a no-go for most after oral surgery... lukewarm seems safest all around. It’s funny how everyone ends up with their own little tricks to get through those first rough days.

I totally get the weird tingling - mint makes my whole mouth feel like it’s on a rollercoaster, which is not ideal right after surgery. I ended up just using the saline rinse my dentist suggested, even though it tastes a bit like tears. Lukewarm everything was my motto… learned that the hard way with soup that was way too hot.

mint makes my whole mouth feel like it’s on a rollercoaster, which is not ideal right after surgery

Totally get you on the mint thing - it’s like, why does everything have to be mint flavored? After my wisdom teeth came out, I couldn’t even look at toothpaste for a week. Saline rinse isn’t exactly tasty, but it did the trick for me too. Lukewarm water all the way... I learned fast that anything too hot just made my gums throb. It’s wild how picky your mouth gets after surgery.

Saline rinse isn’t exactly tasty, but it did the trick for me too. Lukewarm water all the way...

I can relate - mint is just too intense right after oral surgery. I actually switched to a super mild, unflavored toothpaste for a bit, which helped. Lukewarm saline rinses definitely made things more bearable, even if the taste wasn’t great. It’s surprising how sensitive everything gets. Honestly, patience is half the battle with recovery.

My kiddo had their wisdom teeth out last year, and I swear we went through every flavorless toothpaste in the drugstore aisle. Anything minty was a hard no - one brush and they were in tears. The lukewarm saline rinse wasn’t exactly their favorite either, but it really did seem to help with swelling and keeping things clean. I also learned the hard way that straws are a big nope... lesson learned after a milkshake incident. Patience and soft foods were key for us.

The lukewarm saline rinse wasn’t exactly their favorite either, but it really did seem to help with swelling and keeping things clean.

Totally agree on the saline rinses - even if nobody loves the taste, they’re so underrated for healing. I actually tried a gentle baby toothbrush for my teen, which helped a bit with sensitivity. The straw thing is tricky... took us two days to figure out why things weren’t healing right.

I actually tried a gentle baby toothbrush for my teen, which helped a bit with sensitivity. The straw thing is tricky... took us two days to figure out why things weren’t healing right.

The straw thing got me too - nobody warned me about it, and I was so focused on saving money that I just reused whatever was at home, which probably made it worse. With my wisdom teeth, I kept thinking I could use a straw if I was careful, but nope... dry socket city.

For the saline rinses, they told me to buy the fancy pre-mixed packets, but honestly, just salt and warm water worked fine (and way cheaper). I was so paranoid about infection that I boiled the water every time, which maybe was overkill? Still, better than risking a trip back to the dentist.

Has anyone tried those disposable oral swabs instead of a toothbrush at first? I thought about it but didn’t want to spend extra unless it really made a difference. Curious if it’s worth the couple bucks or just another thing they try to sell you.

I totally get the anxiety around infection - after my extraction, I was basically living in fear of dry socket. The straw thing tripped me up too. I thought if I was super gentle, it’d be fine, but nope... ended up with a weird ache that freaked me out for days. Never again.

About the oral swabs: I actually caved and bought a pack because my mouth felt so gross the first few days and I was scared to use a toothbrush anywhere near the stitches. They were kind of helpful for gently wiping away that fuzzy feeling, but honestly, they’re not magic. If you’re careful with a super soft baby brush and just avoid the site, it’s probably about the same. The swabs were nice for peace of mind, though - less anxiety about accidentally poking something.

I also boiled water for rinses! I kept thinking maybe it was overkill, but after reading about all those horror stories online, I figured better safe than sorry. It’s wild how much conflicting advice there is out there... half my friends said don’t bother, but I couldn’t relax unless I did it.

Still can’t believe nobody warns you about half this stuff ahead of time.