Can confirm, saltwater rinses are the MVP. My ortho told me to use them after my wisdom teeth came out, and I was skeptical at first—like, is this just grandma’s remedy or what? But it seriously worked better than any of the bottle stuff I tried. Also, those gel ice packs are a game changer. Only thing is, I swear I kept losing them in my bed sheets at night... Did you find it hard not to swallow the saltwater by accident? That was my struggle, especially when half my mouth was numb.
Yeah, the saltwater thing surprised me too. I thought it was just a cheap shortcut, but honestly, it worked way better than the $8 mouthwash I got. I did almost swallow it a couple times, though—especially when my lip felt like rubber. Also, instead of gel packs, I just used frozen peas wrapped in a towel... way cheaper, and you can eat them later.
I totally relate to the saltwater rinse—my dentist actually recommended it after my wisdom teeth came out, and I was skeptical at first. I figured, how could something so basic do much? But it really did help keep things clean and calmed down the swelling. I did have to be careful not to swish too hard, though, or I’d end up with that weird pressure feeling in my gums. And yeah, almost swallowing it is a real struggle when your mouth is half-numb.
Frozen peas are genius. I tried using one of those fancy gel packs and honestly, it leaked after the second use. The peas just mold right to your jaw, and once you’re done, you’ve got an easy snack. Only thing I’d add—don’t forget to label the bag if you’re sharing a freezer... my roommate was not thrilled when he realized his dinner had been on my face.
One other thing that helped me was sleeping propped up with an extra pillow for the first couple nights. It seemed to keep the swelling down a bit and made it easier to breathe. Not sure if that’s standard advice, but it worked for me.
I’m with you on the saltwater rinse. I was a bit doubtful too, but it honestly made a difference after my braces were tightened, not just surgery. My orthodontist said it’s more about gentle rinsing than anything—like you said, swishing too hard can just make things worse. For swelling, I actually used a bag of frozen corn once when we ran out of peas… worked just as well, but definitely label it unless you want to gross out your family.
Sleeping propped up helped me too, though I kept sliding down the pillows half the time. One thing I’d add: I tried to stick to softer foods longer than I thought I’d need. Even when the pain was better, chewing too soon set me back. Just my two cents.
Sleeping propped up helped me too, though I kept sliding down the pillows half the time.
Had to laugh at this—same here. I’d start out with a fortress of pillows and wake up flat as a pancake. I did find that putting a rolled towel under the mattress edge helped a bit, but maybe that’s just me. I’m with you on the soft foods, too. I tried to eat toast too soon and really regretted it. Curious if anyone found any “safe” snacks that weren’t just pudding or yogurt? I got so bored of sweet stuff after a while.