That tongue patrol is relentless, isn’t it? It’s like the second there’s something new in your mouth, your brain and tongue form a search party. You’re not alone with the salt water doubts—people always ask if they’re rinsing too much or too little. As long as you’re not swishing like you’re trying to win a gold medal, it’s usually fine. And the soft food thing... mashed potatoes get old fast. I once had a patient who admitted to sneaking in a single tortilla chip just for the crunch—don’t recommend it, but I get the temptation. The reassurance really does help calm the nerves though.
That tongue patrol is relentless, isn’t it? It’s like the second there’s something new in your mouth, your brain and tongue form a search party.
Totally get this—my tongue’s basically become a private investigator since I got my stitches. Here’s how I’ve been handling it: first, I try (keyword: try) not to poke at them, even though it’s weirdly tempting. Second, with salt water rinses, I just gently swish for about 30 seconds after meals—nothing Olympic-level. And yeah, soft foods are fine for a bit, but after day three I was craving literally anything with texture. I caved and had overcooked pasta... not proud, but no disasters. The nerves do calm down after the first week or so.
Yeah, the tongue thing is wild—mine was obsessed with the stitches for days. I’d catch myself poking at them without even realizing it. I tried to distract myself by chewing on the other side or just keeping my mouth a little busier with water or tea. Overcooked pasta sounds like a solid choice, honestly. I went for mashed potatoes and yogurt at first, but by day four, I was eyeing chips like they were gold.
I noticed after about a week, the weirdness faded and my tongue finally gave up its investigation. Did you get dissolvable stitches, or the kind you have to go back and get removed? Mine were the dissolvable ones, but they felt like they took forever to disappear. Also, did you have any swelling or weird taste from the salt rinses? That threw me off more than anything.
I totally get what you mean about the tongue—mine had a mind of its own after my last implant. It’s like it became obsessed with the stitches, couldn’t leave them alone. I actually ended up biting my cheek once because I was so focused on not messing with the surgical side. You’d think after all these years I’d have more self-control, but nope.
I had dissolvable stitches too, and honestly, they took way longer to go away than my dentist suggested. They said a week or so, but it was more like two and a half before I stopped feeling those weird threads. I remember thinking something was wrong, but turns out, it’s just slower for some of us. As long as there’s no redness or oozing, I wouldn’t worry.
Swelling was a pain for me, especially the first few days. I did the salt water rinses religiously, but that taste—ugh. Almost metallic, and it lingered way longer than I expected. I started using a little less salt than recommended, just to make it more bearable, and it still seemed to do the trick. Not sure if that’s “approved,” but it worked for me.
Food-wise, you’re braver than I am wanting chips by day four. I was living on applesauce and instant mashed potatoes for a week straight. The temptation for crunchy stuff is real, but I’ve learned (the hard way) that patience pays off. Last thing you want is to pop a stitch or set yourself back.
My best advice is just keep up whatever routine makes it easier on you—even if it means eating like a toddler for a bit longer. Mouths heal at their own pace, and everyone’s experience is a little different. If anything feels off, always worth checking in with your dentist, but most of the time it’s just an annoying waiting game.
Your post made me laugh because I swear my tongue was on a mission after my first implant—couldn’t stop poking at the stitches, even when I knew better. Waiting for those dissolvable threads to disappear is weirdly stressful, isn’t it? I totally agree, as long as there’s no funky color or pain, it’s usually just slow healing. Did you notice any weird taste from the stitches themselves, or was it just the salt water for you? I remember thinking something metallic was stuck in my mouth for days.
