I’m always scared to brush near the stitches, honestly. The swelling is so annoying, I felt like I couldn’t eat or talk right for days.
I totally get where you’re coming from with the brushing thing. I was super paranoid about messing up the stitches, especially since I didn’t want to risk needing a second procedure (or another bill). But after a couple days, I realized gentle brushing with a soft toothbrush didn’t hurt anything—just had to be really careful and take it slow.
The swelling was a pain, though. I tried to stick with cold foods and avoided anything crunchy because I didn’t want to push my luck. Honestly, I was more worried about having to go back in for a checkup that insurance might not cover… so maybe that made me extra cautious.
Weird taste freaked me out too, but my dentist said it’s normal unless there’s serious pain or gross smell. If you’re watching your budget like me, keeping things clean is way cheaper than fixing an infection later. Hang in there—it gets better faster than you’d think.
That fear of brushing too close is so common—honestly, I see it all the time. The first few days after my own implant surgery, I was convinced even the softest brush would undo everything. But gentle, careful cleaning really does help with healing (and keeps that weird taste from getting worse). Swelling’s a drag, but it usually peaks early and then starts to ease up. If you’re keeping things clean and not seeing any alarming signs like pus or major pain, you’re doing better than you think. It’s a hassle at first, but you’ll get through it without needing another round in the chair.
But gentle, careful cleaning really does help with healing (and keeps that weird taste from getting worse).
I get the whole “gentle cleaning” thing, but honestly, I was way more paranoid about the stitches catching on my brush than the taste. Maybe it’s just me, but I swear those little threads felt like they were booby-trapped. I tried using one of those water flossers on the lowest setting—kinda felt like hacking the system, but it actually helped me feel less freaked out about poking at the stitches.
Did anyone else get super itchy gums where the stitches were? That was almost worse than the swelling for me. I know everyone says the swelling chills out after a couple days, but mine hung around for almost a week and made me look like I’d lost a boxing match with my pillow. Guess our bodies all have their own update schedules…
Anyway, just saying—if you’re nervous about brushing, maybe tech it up a notch and try something like a water flosser or even just rinsing gently. Worked for me (and didn’t set off any dental alarms).
Honestly, I tried a water flosser once after my implant and nearly jumped out of my skin—felt like a pressure washer on a paper cut. Ended up just sticking with a super soft baby toothbrush and moving at snail speed. I get the paranoia about stitches though... those things are like dental tripwires. For me, gentle brushing actually helped with the itchiness and that gross taste way more than rinsing alone. I guess it comes down to what freaks you out less: poking at stitches or risking leftover food funk.
I get the paranoia about stitches though... those things are like dental tripwires.
That’s exactly how I felt after mine. Every time I brushed, it was like tiptoeing around a minefield. I tried rinsing but also felt like it didn’t really get rid of that weird taste, so I started using a tiny kids’ brush too—just barely touching the area. It took forever, but honestly, it helped calm my nerves knowing I was doing something gentle. Still flinched every time the bristles got close to a stitch though...
