That plastic taste is honestly burned into my memory, too. I’ve always wondered if it’s the dissolvable stitches or the protective stuff they use, but either way... yuck. About second-guessing—totally get why you’d be cautious after that infection scare, but I’ve actually found that a little patience can help. My first implant, I panicked every time something felt “off,” and ended up stressing myself out over normal healing twinges. Not saying ignore real pain, but sometimes the weird sensations are just your mouth doing its thing. Still, I guess it’s better to check than regret.
On food—yeah, pudding fatigue is real. I actually had better luck with mashed sweet potatoes and runny scrambled eggs. The pasta thing was a disaster for me, too—chewed once and realized nope, not happening. Funny how you start craving the crunchiest stuff only when you absolutely can’t have it.
Funny how you start craving the crunchiest stuff only when you absolutely can’t have it.
Right? It’s wild how suddenly all I wanted was kettle chips and crusty bread, even though I’m not even a big chip person usually. I get what you mean about overthinking every twinge, too. I was constantly poking at my stitches with my tongue, convinced they were coming loose or something was wrong. Did anyone else have that weird urge to check them every five minutes? Total paranoia.
I hear you on the pudding fatigue. I actually started blending up canned soups just for variety, and even then, I was counting the days until I could eat something that didn’t require a spoon. Runny scrambled eggs were a lifesaver for me too, and way cheaper than buying those pre-made protein shakes, which can really add up if you’re on a budget. Honestly, I started planning my meals just to avoid spending extra on “special” recovery foods. Did you find you spent more on groceries during recovery, or did you manage to keep it reasonable?
As for the plastic taste—ugh, yes. I always wondered if it was the stitches or the antiseptic gel they put on at the end. Either way, it lingered for days and made everything taste off. I tried rinsing with salt water more often and it helped a bit, but not totally.
It’s tough not to stress after a scare like an infection, but you’re right—sometimes it’s just your mouth healing and it feels weird. I still say if something seems really off, it’s worth asking your dentist, but most of the time, I realized I was just freaking out over nothing. Did you end up calling your dentist about every little thing, or did you try to tough it out? I ended up calling once about some swelling, and they were super chill about it, which made me feel better.
Hang in there—the soft food stage feels endless, but you’ll get back to crunchy stuff soon enough.
I totally relate to the paranoia about stitches—I was obsessed with checking mine, too. I kept thinking I’d feel them snap or something, even though my dentist said they were dissolvable and would just kind of… disappear. The urge to poke at them with my tongue was almost impossible to ignore. I swear, I felt every single bump or weird sensation as if it was a five-alarm emergency.
The food struggle is so real. I remember standing in the grocery store looking at all the “soft” options, realizing I’d never really paid attention to how many foods are just not possible without chewing. I tried to keep costs down by making big batches of mashed potatoes and homemade smoothies, but I definitely spent more than usual that first week. I got tired of sweet stuff fast, so salty brothy soups were my go-to. Honestly, I don’t miss the protein shakes at all—those things get old fast.
That plastic taste is the worst. For me, it stuck around for a good few days, and I never figured out if it was the dissolving stitches or something else. Salt water rinses helped a bit, but mostly I just had to wait it out. I did have a moment where I was convinced I had an infection because of the taste, but turns out it was just normal healing.
I ended up calling my dentist once when my cheek puffed up out of nowhere. I felt a little silly, but they were super reassuring and said swelling was normal as long as there wasn’t crazy pain or fever. Sometimes you just need that peace of mind, even if it seems minor.
Hang in there—it feels like forever, but you’ll be crunching away on chips again before you know it. And hey, maybe we’ll even appreciate soft foods a little more in the future... or maybe not.
You nailed it with the “five-alarm emergency” feeling—every little twinge had me convinced something was wrong. I swear, my tongue became a full-time detective, poking around nonstop even though I knew better. The weird plastic taste threw me too. I kept rinsing with salt water and wondering if that was actually helping or just making me feel proactive.
Food-wise, I got so sick of yogurt and applesauce after day three. Ended up mashing up beans with broth just for something savory. Never thought I’d look forward to chewing again, but here we are... Glad to hear your dentist was reassuring about the swelling. Sometimes it really is just about getting a little peace of mind, even if you feel a bit silly for calling.
I swear, my tongue became a full-time detective, poking around nonstop even though I knew better.
That’s exactly it—my tongue was basically on patrol 24/7, and every time I felt a weird stitch or rough spot, my brain would spiral. I tried to just leave it alone but it’s like impossible. I also kept second-guessing the salt water thing... I mean, it helped with the gross taste, but I kept wondering if I was overdoing it. The soft food struggle is real too—after a few days I would've traded my left arm for a crunchy chip. Glad you got some reassurance from your dentist. Sometimes just hearing “it’s normal” makes all the difference.
