"Did anyone's dentist recommend those medicated gels mentioned earlier? Wondering if they're actually helpful or just hype."
My dentist mentioned them briefly but said they're mostly just a temporary relief thing rather than speeding up actual healing. I stuck with salt water rinses and survived...clove oil taste and all, lol. Hang in there, it gets better pretty quick.
"My dentist mentioned them briefly but said they're mostly just a temporary relief thing rather than speeding up actual healing."
Yeah, that's pretty much what my dentist said too. I tried one of those gels when my dry socket was at its worst, and honestly, it did help numb things for a bit—but the relief didn't last long enough to justify the cost for me. I ended up sticking with rinsing gently with warm salt water several times a day and taking ibuprofen regularly. The clove oil taste wasn't exactly pleasant (totally agree with you there!), but it was manageable...and after about three or four days, I noticed a significant improvement.
One thing that helped me was making sure to stay hydrated and avoid using straws or anything that could disturb the healing area. Did your dentist give you any specific advice on foods or drinks to avoid? Mine warned me off hot beverages for a few days, which was tough since I'm usually glued to my coffee mug.
Yeah, my dentist pretty much echoed the same thing about those gels. I gave them a shot anyway because I was desperate for relief, and they did numb things up temporarily—but like you said, it didn't last long enough to be worth it. Warm salt water rinses were honestly the best thing for me too, along with keeping hydrated and sticking to softer foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies. The no-straw rule was tough though...didn't realize how much I relied on them until then, haha.
Yeah, the no-straw thing surprised me too...never realized how much I used them until I couldn't. I'm still curious though—did anyone find ice packs helpful, or is warmth generally better for dry socket pain?
