That metallic taste with chlorhexidine is the worst. I remember after my last extraction, my tongue felt like it was coated in copper for days, and food just tasted off. I switched to saltwater too—much gentler, and I swear my mouth felt less irritated.
About those medicated gels, my dentist did mention one called Orajel (not sure if that’s what you meant), but said it’s mostly for numbing, not really speeding up healing. I tried it once and honestly, it helped for a bit with the soreness, but it wore off pretty quick. Didn’t notice any difference in how fast things healed compared to just sticking with pain meds and rinses. For me, Tylenol at night was a lifesaver since ibuprofen messes with my stomach too.
Taste changes hung around for a while after rinsing, especially with those stronger mouthwashes. I think it’s normal, just annoying when you’re craving something good to eat. It does come back though, at least in my case—just takes patience.
Yeah, that metallic taste lingers way too long. I switched to saltwater too after my last surgery—definitely easier on my mouth. I’ve also noticed the numbing gels don’t do much for healing, just masks the pain for a bit. Honestly, taste coming back slowly drove me nuts... I was paranoid it wouldn’t ever be normal again, but it did. Tylenol’s about all I can handle too.
It’s interesting you mention the numbing gels—I've seen a few folks lean on them, but honestly, I tend to steer people away unless the pain is really bad. They can sometimes slow down healing if overused, especially on surgical sites. Saltwater rinses are great, though... classic for a reason. About the taste thing, it’s pretty common after surgery, but if it lingers too long, sometimes it’s worth checking for any residual infection or debris. Tylenol’s usually safe, but I’ve seen some people tolerate ibuprofen pretty well if their stomach can handle it.
I’ve actually had a few patients swear by those numbing gels, but I’ve noticed the same thing—if they use them too often, the area just doesn’t seem to heal as quickly. One person even ended up with a bit of tissue irritation that took longer to settle down. I’m curious if anyone’s tried any of those newer topical patches? I’ve seen them mentioned but haven’t seen them in practice yet. And yeah, saltwater rinses might be old school, but honestly, they seem to help more than half the fancy stuff out there.
I totally get where you’re coming from about the gels. My daughter had to use one after her procedure, and while it helped with the pain, I noticed her mouth seemed a little raw after a few days. We switched back to saltwater rinses and, honestly, it just seemed gentler. Haven’t tried the patches yet—kind of curious if they’re any better or just another trend. Sometimes the simplest stuff ends up working best, even if it’s not fancy.
