Did anyone else get super paranoid about changing their toothbrush after surgery? I swapped mine out right away, but I’m not sure if that’s standard or just my anxiety talking...
I totally relate to this. After my wisdom teeth removal, I was hyper-aware of every little thing that might cause an infection. Swapped my toothbrush the same day they took the stitches out—didn’t even think twice. My dentist actually mentioned it’s a good idea since bacteria can linger on old brushes, so I guess the paranoia paid off for once.
Funny thing is, my mom thought I was being over the top when I started boiling water and using a fresh cup for every rinse. But after a friend ended up with a nasty dry socket from not keeping things clean, I’d rather err on the side of “dramatic” too. It’s wild how something as small as a toothbrush can stress you out so much after surgery, but honestly, peace of mind is worth the extra effort.
I totally get the “am I being paranoid or just careful?” thing. After I had my tonsils out (not teeth, but still mouth surgery), I was so freaked about germs that I actually bought a pack of those disposable toothbrushes you get at the drugstore. Used a new one every day for the first week... probably overkill, but it made me feel better. My sister rolled her eyes so hard at me, but honestly? I’d rather be a little extra than risk getting sick.
And yeah, the boiling water thing—I did that too, especially for rinsing. My surgeon said regular tap water was fine, but after reading horror stories online, I just couldn’t bring myself to trust it. Maybe it’s a little dramatic, but like you said, peace of mind is huge when you’re already dealing with pain and healing.
The other thing that helped me was keeping a little notebook to track when I took my meds and did my rinses. Sounds nerdy, but when you’re groggy from painkillers, it’s way too easy to forget stuff. Plus, it gave me something to focus on besides worrying about infection.
Honestly, I think there’s no such thing as being “too careful” when your mouth is healing. People love to tease about being germ-phobic, but they’re not the ones who have to deal with complications if something goes wrong. If swapping out your toothbrush early or boiling water helps you sleep at night, then it’s totally worth it—even if it seems a bit much to others.
I’m right there with you on the disposable toothbrushes—I did the same thing after my wisdom teeth came out. It might seem like a lot, but honestly, when you’re dealing with stitches and open wounds in your mouth, it just feels safer. I also wiped down my phone and remote way more than usual, since I was constantly touching my face. The med tracking is such a good idea too. I tried using my phone’s notes app, but I kept forgetting to update it... a physical notebook probably would’ve worked better for me. Peace of mind is everything when you’re healing, even if it means being a little “extra.”
Peace of mind is everything when you’re healing, even if it means being a little “extra.”
I get what you mean about peace of mind, but honestly, I didn’t go quite as far with the disposables after my surgery. I just rinsed my regular toothbrush in hot water and let it air dry, and it worked out fine for me. Maybe I’ve gotten a bit less worried about germs over the years, but I never had any infection issues. But I do agree with you on wiping down the phone and remote—those things get gross fast, especially when you’re stuck at home recovering.
I wish I could be as relaxed about germs as you are, but after my last oral surgery, I just couldn’t stop worrying. Maybe it’s just my age, but I kept picturing all those tiny bacteria on my toothbrush... I ended up switching to disposables for a couple weeks, just to be safe. It probably was overkill, but it helped me sleep better. I do agree about the phone and remote though—those things are like germ magnets, especially when you’re stuck in bed most of the day.