I remember being terrified to even chew on the other side, like my teeth were made of glass or something. The salt water rinse advice cracked me up too—my dentist said, “treat your mouth like it’s royalty.” That first “real” meal after a week of mush was practically a celebration.
That “treat your mouth like it’s royalty” line is too real—I basically walked around like I had a tiny crown in my mouth after my implant. And yeah, chewing on the “safe” side felt like some high-stakes game for a while. Did you also get paranoid about the stitches catching on food? I swear, I spent a week convinced a rogue piece of pasta was gonna sabotage my recovery.
Honestly, though, you nailed it—the first non-mushy meal feels like winning the lottery. I remember biting into a sandwich and thinking, “Wow, I survived.” The salt water rinse thing cracked me up too, but it actually helped more than I expected. Hang in there, it gets less nerve-wracking way quicker than you’d think. Did you have any weird cravings during the mush phase? I was dying for chips, of all things...
Did you also get paranoid about the stitches catching on food? I swear, I spent a week convinced a rogue piece of pasta was gonna sabotage my recovery.
I get where you’re coming from with the food paranoia, but honestly, I was told by my oral surgeon that the stitches are actually pretty resilient. I worried at first too, but after double-checking with another dentist, they said it’s more about avoiding sharp or crunchy stuff than soft foods like pasta. That said, I still cut everything into tiny pieces just in case... old habits die hard.
On the salt water rinse—funny thing is, my second opinion dentist actually suggested skipping it for the first 24 hours to avoid disturbing the clot. After that, yeah, it helped a ton. Maybe it depends on who you ask? The advice can be all over the place.
And about cravings, I had this weird urge for spicy ramen, which made zero sense since hot foods were off-limits. Chips sound way more logical. Guess our brains just want what they can’t have...
That food paranoia is so real—I remember after my first implant, I was convinced every single grain of rice was out to get me. I even tried eating with a tiny spoon for a while, which just made me feel ridiculous. But you’re right, those stitches are sturdier than they look. Still, I stuck to mashed potatoes and yogurt for days because I just couldn’t shake the worry.
Funny about the salt water rinse—my oral surgeon said the same thing about waiting 24 hours, but my hygienist swore by starting right away. It’s wild how much dental advice can vary. Either way, you’re not alone in the weird cravings. I craved crunchy toast for days, which obviously wasn’t happening... The brain really does play tricks when you’re healing. Hang in there—it gets easier!
The whole salt water rinse thing still confuses me—my dentist said wait, but my friend’s surgeon told her to start right away too. Did you notice any difference in healing based on when you started rinsing? I always wonder if those little things actually make a big impact or if it’s just personal preference. Also, did you end up giving in to any cravings, or did you stick to the soft foods the whole time?
