We had a similar experience with my daughter’s root canals last year—she was 9 at the time, so I was pretty focused on making sure she was comfortable and didn’t mess up the stitches. We actually alternated between ice and heat, but honestly, she preferred the heat packs too. The ice seemed to just make her tense up, and she’d complain her jaw felt “frozen shut.” I wonder if that’s just a kid thing or if adults feel it too.
For food, we did a whole week of soft stuff—mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, even some pureed soups. She begged for mac and cheese, but I was paranoid about anything sticky getting caught in the stitches. Bread was tricky; even the softest kind seemed to get wedged in weird places. Did anyone else have trouble with things like rice or pasta? I found that rice would sneak into every crevice, and I’d be fishing it out for ages.
I’m curious how long you waited before trying more solid foods. We got conflicting advice—one dentist said three days, another said a full week. I ended up waiting almost a week just to be safe, but maybe I was being overcautious.
One thing that surprised me was how much her mood changed based on what she ate and how much discomfort she had. If she tried something too soon, it’d set her back for a day or two. Anyone else notice that pattern? Or maybe it’s just more dramatic with kids.
Also, did anyone have issues with swelling coming back after a few days? We had a bit of that around day four, which made me second-guess if we were doing everything right.
- Totally get the rice and pasta struggle.
Same here with my son—rice was the worst for getting stuck. We stuck to mashed potatoes and yogurt for a while.“rice would sneak into every crevice, and I’d be fishing it out for ages.”
- I waited a full week before trying anything chewy. Maybe overcautious, but better safe than sorry, right?
- Swelling came back around day five for us. Dentist said it’s pretty normal as long as there’s no fever or crazy pain.
- Mood swings were real, especially when he was hungry but couldn’t eat his favorites. Hangry is a thing, even for kids.
You’re doing great—healing just takes time.
That whole rice thing is honestly so real—I thought I was being dramatic, but it really does manage to get everywhere. I kept thinking, “How can something so tiny be so annoying?” Mashed potatoes were my go-to too, but even then, I’d double-check for stray bits.
I get what you mean about waiting before trying chewy stuff. I probably went a little overboard and stuck to soft foods for nearly two weeks. It just felt safer, especially since I was paranoid about messing anything up.
The swelling coming back after a few days freaked me out at first. I kept checking my temperature and overanalyzing every twinge, but like your dentist said, it seems pretty normal as long as things don’t get worse.
And the mood swings—totally relatable. Frustration hits hard when you’re hungry but everything feels off-limits. It’s weird how much food impacts your mood when you can’t have what you want.
You’re doing everything right. Healing isn’t linear and it’s easy to second-guess every little thing, but day by day, it really does get better—even if it feels impossibly slow sometimes.
I kept checking my temperature and overanalyzing every twinge, but like your dentist said, it seems pretty normal as long as things don’t get worse.
Same here—every little ache had me convinced I was doomed. I honestly stayed on yogurt and scrambled eggs way longer than necessary. Rice is the enemy, though. I’d find it hours later, just chilling in some random corner of my mouth… The emotional rollercoaster is real. I tried to remind myself that “slow and steady” isn’t just a saying, it’s basically the only option. It’s weird how food becomes this whole ordeal when you’re healing.
The rice thing is so true—it’s like it has a vendetta against freshly fixed teeth. I tried to eat some after my second root canal and instantly regretted it… had to go on a full flossing expedition. I also got super paranoid about every weird sensation, but my dentist kept saying “if you’re not in serious pain or swelling, you’re probably fine.” Easier said than done when your mouth feels like it’s running on beta software, though. It’s wild how much you start overthinking something as basic as eating.