That bit about toothbrushes rings true for me—after my dental work last year, my dentist actually suggested swapping mine out right after any illness, not just surgery. At first I thought it was overkill too, but honestly, it's such an easy fix and you really do feel a little more in control. The TV remote thing made me laugh... I've wiped ours down more in the last six months than in the previous decade.
The open window debate? Classic. My daughter likes to remind me that “fresh air” is code for “I’m freezing.” Still, I swear the house feels less stuffy after a quick breeze, even if it’s just psychological. It’s funny how we all find our own balance between caution and comfort—guess that’s just life after surgery or dental stuff or whatever else comes up.
Swapping out the toothbrush after being sick actually makes a lot of sense, even if at first it feels like one of those “extra cautious” moves. I used to just rinse mine under hot water and call it good, but after a pretty gnarly gum infection post-wisdom teeth removal, I’m not taking chances anymore. It’s such a tiny thing but honestly, it gives me peace of mind.
The remote control thing cracks me up too—my partner started wiping down every light switch and doorknob for a while and I thought he was going overboard... until I realized how gross they actually get. Now it’s just part of our routine.
Fresh air is a whole debate in my house too. I’m all for cracking the window, but my son acts like he’s being punished if there’s even a hint of a draft. Still, there’s something about airing things out that just makes everything feel cleaner, even if it’s mostly in my head.
Curious—did anyone else find themselves suddenly paranoid about stuff like pillowcases or water bottles after dental work? I started swapping those out way more often than before.
Totally get what you mean about getting more cautious after dental stuff. I used to think swapping pillowcases and water bottles every couple days was overkill, but after my own oral surgery, I started doing it too. It’s wild how you notice the little things when you’re trying to heal right. I even started running my water bottle through the dishwasher every night, just in case. My partner laughed at first, but honestly, it helped me feel like I was at least controlling something in the whole mess. Fresh air, though—I’m with your son on that one... drafty rooms just make me grumpy.
I even started running my water bottle through the dishwasher every night, just in case. My partner laughed at first, but honestly, it helped me feel like I was at least controlling something in the whole mess.
Funny how those “overkill” routines suddenly make sense when you’re the one healing. After my last extraction, I got borderline obsessive about swapping out towels and even toothbrush holders—never realized how much bacteria can build up on those until I read about it. I’m with you on the water bottle thing; hand-washing just didn’t cut it for me, especially when you think about all the nooks inside those lids.
Fresh air is a weird one for me though. I know some people swear by it for recovery, but I always felt like a cold draft made my jaw ache more. Maybe that’s just me? Did you notice any difference in swelling or pain with more ventilation?
One thing I did that seemed to help: rinsing with saltwater after meals, even if the dentist only said twice a day. Felt like it kept things cleaner between actual brushing (which was tricky at first). Anyone else find that useful, or is it just a placebo effect?
I get super anxious about germs too, so I totally get the towel and toothbrush holder swap. I’ve seen some gnarly stuff grow in those if you don’t stay on top of it. For me, saltwater rinses after every meal made a difference—I know the “twice a day” rule, but honestly, it just felt cleaner and seemed to calm things down. Placebo or not, it helped me worry less. And yeah, cold air always made my jaw throb more, especially at night. I’d rather have a stuffy room than deal with that ache.
