I totally get the zoning out thing... podcasts are my go-to distraction during dental visits. But about the salty rinses—I tried them, and honestly, they felt like torture at first, haha. Eventually, though, they did seem to help with the swelling. Orajel was okay for me too, but I found that numbing gels wore off pretty quickly.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is warm chamomile tea rinses. My dentist recommended it because chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties and it's way gentler than saltwater. Just brew a cup, let it cool down to lukewarm, and swish it around gently. Worked wonders for me last time.
Also, totally agree on the soft foods thing—scrambled eggs and yogurt were lifesavers for a couple days. After about two days, things definitely felt better.
