Yeah, the saltwater rinses were a pain for me too, but I noticed the same thing—less swelling, and it just felt cleaner overall. Did you ever try using a syringe to rinse (the kind they give after wisdom teeth)? I found it helped get stuff out of the extraction site, but sometimes I worried it was too much pressure.
About food, I totally get the bread dilemma. I actually avoided bread altogether because even the soft stuff seemed to stick to my braces and the surgical site. I stuck with things like applesauce, cottage cheese, and overcooked pasta. It got old fast, but I was paranoid about getting anything stuck and ending up with an infection.
The dry socket warnings freaked me out too. I remember reading horror stories online and then obsessing over every weird taste or ache. Did you notice any weird taste as you healed? I kept thinking that meant something was wrong, but apparently it’s normal for a few days.
Honestly, the anxiety was almost worse than the pain. But I agree—if you follow the basics, it usually works out fine.
I get what you mean about being super cautious with food, but honestly, I didn’t cut out bread entirely after my root tip surgery. I just tore it into tiny pieces and let it soften in my mouth before chewing—maybe risky, but I hate feeling deprived. I did get some bits stuck a couple times, but gentle rinsing (not blasting it with the syringe) usually sorted it out. I think as long as you’re careful and not poking around too much, you can still eat more than just mush. The anxiety is real though… every twinge felt suspicious for days.
