Interesting, I actually found the heat thing a little tricky too. For me, the swelling went back up if I tried a warm compress too soon—like, even after two days, it still felt kind of puffy. Did you notice any weird tingling or numbness when you switched? I remember being paranoid about that. Applesauce was my go-to as well, but I never thought of eggs... did they bother the stitches at all?
The heat versus cold thing trips up a lot of folks, honestly. Early on, even mild heat can make swelling flare up again—totally normal, and I usually recommend sticking with ice for at least 48 hours unless things feel really tight. Tingling or numbness can happen, especially if the area’s still inflamed, but it typically fades as healing progresses. Eggs are actually a pretty gentle option for most people; as long as you’re not chewing hard, they shouldn’t bother stitches. It’s all about soft textures and not poking at the site too much. Applesauce is a classic for a reason... but I’ve seen mashed potatoes become a crowd favorite too.
I’ve always wondered about the ice versus heat thing, especially since my jaw tends to stiffen up after any dental work. I usually stick with ice packs for the first couple days, but after that, I’m never sure if a warm compress would help or just make things puff up again. Anyone else get that weird throbbing when you switch to heat too soon?
With food, eggs are great—scrambled worked for me, but I couldn’t handle mashed potatoes right away. Felt like even the softest stuff got stuck everywhere. Did anyone else have trouble with food bits sneaking into the stitches? I found myself rinsing constantly, which got old fast.
One thing I’m still not sure about: how soon did folks here go back to using a toothbrush near the site? My dentist said wait a few days, but I was nervous about plaque building up. Curious if anyone had tips for that awkward in-between stage.
I totally get the confusion with the ice vs. heat thing. For me, I stuck with ice for the first 48 hours and only tried heat once the swelling was basically gone—otherwise, it just felt like my face was pulsing even more. As for food, scrambled eggs were my MVP too, but I swear, even yogurt managed to get stuck around my stitches. I did gentle saltwater rinses after every tiny snack, which got tedious fast.
About brushing, I waited three days before going near the site, using a baby toothbrush and barely touching it. Felt weird not to brush properly, but honestly, leaving it alone seemed to help healing. The paranoia about plaque is real, though...
