Toast was my weakness too, but I waited until things felt less raw—honestly, I was terrified of crumbs getting stuck. I did the saltwater rinses religiously at first, but after a few days I started slacking. When I kept up with them, my mouth just felt cleaner and less sore, so I swear by them, even if it’s a pain. Podcasts were my lifesaver—anything to keep my mind off the weird sensations and food FOMO.
I totally get the saltwater rinse thing—it does help, but I actually switched to a prescription mouthwash after a few days. My dentist said it reduced bacteria even more. Saltwater’s good, but for me, the medicated stuff made a bigger difference in healing.
Saltwater’s good, but for me, the medicated stuff made a bigger difference in healing.
I’m with you on the prescription rinse. I tried to stick with saltwater at first because everyone says it’s “natural” and all that, but honestly, I was so anxious about infection that I switched to what my dentist gave me. The taste is awful, not gonna lie, but after a bad dry socket once (never again), I’ll take the stronger stuff every time. Maybe it’s overkill for some people, but if you’re prone to complications like me, I’d rather play it safe than risk another nightmare recovery.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. After my wisdom teeth came out, I tried doing just saltwater rinses, but I was so paranoid about infection that I caved and used the prescription rinse too. The taste is gross (why do they all taste like chemicals?), but it just felt safer. One thing that also helped me was being super gentle with brushing—like, baby toothbrush level gentle. Not sure if it made a huge difference, but my gums definitely appreciated it.
Haha, yes—the taste of that rinse is something else. I kept thinking I was swishing with pool water. I’ve been way too nervous about brushing near the stitches, so I’ve mostly just tried to keep the area clean with saltwater and avoided anything crunchy. Not sure if I’m overthinking it, but my anxiety is real. Glad to hear I’m not the only one being super careful!
