- Baby toothbrush is a game changer—didn’t think it’d make such a difference but it really did after my wisdom teeth came out.
We got one of those “special” mouthwashes for my kid after his extractions. Honestly, he hated the taste and it didn’t seem to do anything more than salt water did (except cost way more). I’d just stick with salt water, unless your dentist says otherwise. The “baby toothbrush” tip is gold, though—never thought I’d be buying those again!
Honestly, I had the opposite experience with the fancy mouthwash. After my extraction, my dentist recommended a prescription rinse (chlorhexidine, I think?), and it actually seemed to help with swelling and that gross taste you get after surgery. Salt water worked too, but the mouthwash felt like it gave me a bit of extra insurance. Guess it depends on the person… but yeah, those things are definitely overpriced. Still, if you’re prone to infection, might be worth it for peace of mind.
Chlorhexidine is definitely one of those things that people seem to love or hate after dental surgery. I’ve seen it work wonders for some, especially if they’re prone to infections or just want that extra layer of protection. The taste isn’t exactly winning any awards, but if it helps with swelling and keeps things clean, sometimes it’s worth powering through. I totally get what you mean about the “gross taste” after an extraction—salt water rinses help, but they don’t really mask anything.
Funny enough, I’ve had patients swear by just sticking to salt water because they hated how the prescription rinse made their mouth feel (some even said it dulled their taste buds for a bit). But for others, especially if there’s a higher risk of infection or tricky healing, a prescription rinse can be a game-changer. It’s really not a one-size-fits-all thing.
Price is another story... those little bottles are not cheap. If you’ve got good insurance, it’s not so bad, but out-of-pocket? Ouch. I always tell people—if you’re healing well with salt water and your dentist is cool with it, you probably don’t need to splurge. But if you’re worried about infection or have a history of slow healing, sometimes that peace of mind is worth the extra cost.
Everyone’s mouth seems to react differently after surgery. Some folks barely notice anything and heal up fast, while others get swelling and weird tastes no matter what they use. At the end of the day, whatever helps you feel comfortable and safe during recovery is probably the right call. And yeah, sometimes you just have to try a couple things before you figure out what works best for you.
I can’t decide if chlorhexidine is a dental miracle or just the universe’s way of reminding us that medicine doesn’t always taste like bubblegum. I had it after my wisdom teeth came out, and wow, the aftertaste was like licking a rusty spoon. But I’ll give it credit—my gums looked less angry than I expected, so maybe it did its job.
Honestly, I’m more in the salt water camp. It’s cheap, easy, and doesn’t make me want to scrub my tongue with a dish sponge. My dentist was fine with me sticking to salt water as long as things weren’t looking sketchy, but I get why some folks need the heavy-duty stuff. My friend had a dry socket nightmare and would’ve bathed in chlorhexidine if it meant less pain.
The price thing is so real. I remember staring at that tiny bottle in the pharmacy and wondering if it was secretly filled with gold flakes. Insurance covered most of mine, but if it hadn’t… let’s just say ramen would’ve been on the menu for a while.
One thing that helped me (and this sounds silly) was using one of those little baby medicine syringes to gently rinse around the extraction site. Way more precise than just swishing and less likely to make me feel like I was drowning in mouthwash. Also, soft foods for days—applesauce, mashed potatoes, yogurt… basically anything you’d feed a toddler.
I guess what surprised me most is how everyone’s mouth seems to have its own personality after surgery. My partner healed up like Wolverine with barely any swelling, while I looked like a chipmunk storing snacks for winter.
Bottom line: whatever keeps infections away and doesn’t make you miserable is probably the right move. If only someone would invent a prescription rinse that tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream... now that’d be something worth paying for.
That chlorhexidine taste is something else, right? I remember thinking, “Is this supposed to taste like metal?” but my dentist swore by it after my last extraction. Honestly, I only used it for a couple days because the price was wild and it made everything taste weird, even water. Salt water rinses were way more doable for me and cost basically nothing.
I did the same thing with the syringe—those little ones you get from the pharmacy for kids’ medicine. Way easier to control than just swishing and hoping for the best. I never understood why dentists don’t just hand those out with the aftercare kit.
The whole “everyone heals different” thing is so true. My brother bounced back in two days like nothing happened, but I was stuck on mashed potatoes for nearly a week. Did anyone else get super paranoid about dry socket? I feel like half my anxiety came from reading horror stories online.
If they ever make a rinse that doesn’t taste like punishment and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, sign me up. Until then, I’ll stick to salt water and hope for the best.
