I hear you on the stress—after my wisdom teeth came out, I was so paranoid about dry socket I barely ate for days. Funny thing, once I stopped overthinking every twinge, things improved. Sometimes our bodies just need a little trust, I guess.
It’s wild how much anxiety can mess with recovery. I see a lot of folks who get so worried about dry socket they end up skipping meals or avoiding even gentle rinsing, which sometimes slows healing more than helps. Did your dentist give you any guidelines on what to eat, or were you just winging it? I usually tell people soft foods are fine after the first day—yogurt, mashed potatoes, stuff like that. Curious if you found any foods easier to manage, or if it was just mind over matter for you.
Yeah, anxiety definitely made me overthink every little thing after my wisdom teeth came out. My dentist gave a list, but honestly, I just stuck to ice cream and scrambled eggs for days. Rinsing gently helped more than I expected... Skipping meals made me feel worse, not better.
Ice cream and scrambled eggs do seem to be the go-to for a lot of folks after wisdom teeth removal, but I’ve always wondered if sticking to such a limited menu actually helps or just makes the whole process feel even more restrictive. I get the appeal—cold foods are soothing and soft foods are easy on the stitches—but after my own extraction, I tried adding in things like mashed avocado, well-cooked pasta, and even some lukewarm soup (just making sure nothing was too hot). That way, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on nutrition or flavor. Honestly, I felt a bit more energetic, which probably helped with healing.
About rinsing—I know a lot of people swear by gentle saltwater rinses, but my oral surgeon actually told me to avoid rinsing for the first 24 hours. Apparently, it can mess with clot formation if you do it too soon. After that window, though, I agree—gentle is key. I got a little overzealous once and ended up with more swelling than I bargained for.
Skipping meals is rough, especially when your body’s trying to recover. But sometimes eating feels like such a chore when your mouth’s sore. I found that keeping a stash of protein drinks helped on days when chewing just wasn’t happening. Not the tastiest solution, but at least I wasn’t running on empty.
It’s funny—everyone gets different advice from their dentist or surgeon, and sometimes it totally conflicts. In the end, I guess it’s about finding what works for you without stressing too much over every detail. Easier said than done, right?
I totally relate to your point about wanting more variety after surgery. When my teenager had her wisdom teeth out last summer, we started with the usual ice cream and pudding, but she got so tired of sweet stuff after just a day or two. We ended up making a lot of mashed potatoes, blended veggie soups, and even some really soft risotto. She was way happier once she could have something with actual flavor. I do think it helped her bounce back a bit faster—she wasn’t as cranky, at least.
And yeah, the rinsing advice is all over the place. Our dentist was very strict about no rinsing or even spitting for that first day, which honestly made her nervous about swallowing anything. After that, we did gentle saltwater rinses, and I think it helped keep things clean without aggravating the area. It’s stressful trying to balance all the different instructions, especially when you just want your kid to heal up without any issues.
Protein shakes were a lifesaver for us too, even if she complained about the taste. You’re right—sometimes you’ve just gotta get through it however you can.
