That clove taste really does haunt you, doesn’t it? I had the same thing after my extraction—felt like I could smell it in my dreams. Funny you mention warm compresses, because I always thought ice was supposed to be the go-to, but honestly, heat just felt more soothing for me too. Distraction was key for me as well... I binged a ton of old sitcoms and tried to ignore the throbbing. Hang in there—it does get better, even if it feels endless right now.
That clove taste is wild, isn’t it? I remember years ago when I had a dry socket myself (yep, even dental folks aren’t immune), and I swear I could taste cloves every time I yawned for a week. It’s like your senses get stuck on it. The first night after my packing, I actually dreamed I was stuck in a spice rack—seriously, the brain is weird.
I know the ice vs. heat debate gets tossed around a lot. Textbook says ice, but honestly, after the first day or two, I found a warm washcloth way more comforting. Guess it’s one of those “your mileage may vary” things. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all answer, especially when it comes to pain. If heat helps, go for it—just don’t burn yourself.
Distraction was my lifeline too. I went down a rabbit hole of 90s cartoons and tried to convince myself that the throbbing was just “background noise.” It’s a weird mix of boredom and pain, right? I always tell people: if you’re miserable, don’t feel bad about taking the pain meds as prescribed. You’re not toughing out a cold—you’ve got a literal hole in your jaw.
One thing I wish someone had told me: the “gross” taste from the socket is normal, but if it starts smelling like something died in there, or you get a fever, that’s when it’s time to call in. Otherwise, it really does just take patience and a lot of Netflix.
Hang in there. It feels endless, but you’ll wake up one morning and realize you haven’t thought about your mouth in hours... and that’s a win.
if it starts smelling like something died in there, or you get a fever, that’s when it’s time to call in.
That’s exactly what I was worried about—hyper aware of every weird taste or smell for days. The clove oil was so strong, I kept thinking I was eating gingerbread or something. I also found ice made my jaw ache after a while, so I switched to heat sooner than the dentist said. Guess we all just figure out what works. For me, keeping a little notebook of when I took meds and what I ate helped me feel less out of control. Maybe a bit overkill, but it kept me sane.
I totally relate to being hyper aware of every little thing. The clove oil taste lingered for me too—honestly, I started to wonder if it was actually helping or just making me hungry for cookies. Did anyone else have trouble sleeping because they were worried about messing up the healing? I kept waking up panicked that I’d accidentally rolled onto my side or something.
That clove oil taste really does linger, doesn’t it? I actually started to get a bit queasy from it after a while—couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too strong for me. I know it’s supposed to help, but I always worry about overdoing it and making things worse. As for sleep, I’m right there with you. I kept waking up convinced I’d knocked the gauze loose or something. But honestly, after a few nights of that, I just let myself sleep on my back with a pillow propped behind me. Not sure it made a huge difference, but I did finally get some rest. Sometimes I think we worry ourselves more than we need to... easier said than done, though.
