I definitely noticed that weird aftertaste too when I tried one of those numbing gels. It was almost like chewing on a penny, which made everything taste off for hours. Using a straw was a game changer for me with cold drinks—less chance of stuff hitting the biopsy spot and making it sting. I also found that really soft bread (like white sandwich bread, not toasted) worked okay if I tore it into tiny pieces and let it kind of dissolve.
One thing I tried, which sounds odd, was mashed avocado. It’s bland, super soft, and didn’t irritate the area at all. Ice cream felt good at first but then made my mouth feel sticky, so I stopped with that. The worst was anything citrusy—orange juice was a disaster, stung like crazy even with numbing gel.
Honestly, eating was the hardest part for me. Even with all the tricks, there were a few days where I just stuck to meal replacement shakes because chewing felt like too much work.
That aftertaste from the gel is the worst, right? I kept thinking I’d gotten metal in my mouth somehow. I’m with you on the meal shakes—I basically lived on those and yogurt for two days because chewing just felt like too much. I tried mashed bananas too, but they were a bit too sweet for me after a while. The straw tip really helped with cold drinks, though I always worried I’d accidentally hit the sore spot anyway. It’s weird how something as simple as eating becomes this big ordeal…
I totally get what you mean about the meal shakes—I basically rotated between those and applesauce. Did you find anything that actually masked that weird metallic aftertaste from the gel? I tried rinsing with salt water, but it didn’t really help much.
Did you find anything that actually masked that weird metallic aftertaste from the gel?
Funny you mention that—my go-to was cold vanilla pudding. It didn’t totally mask the taste, but it made things bearable for a few minutes. I tried salt water rinses too, but honestly, I think they just made me more aware of the weird flavor. Someone once suggested sucking on a tiny piece of lemon, which sounds odd, but it did help cut through the aftertaste a bit. It’s amazing the little tricks you pick up after a few procedures...
Someone once suggested sucking on a tiny piece of lemon, which sounds odd, but it did help cut through the aftertaste a bit.
I tried lemon too, but it stung like crazy on my sore spots—maybe I’m just unlucky with that one. Weirdly enough, I found that chewing sugar-free gum (once I was allowed to) did more for me than pudding or rinses. The minty stuff seemed to distract my taste buds. Anyone else get that weird “tin can” flavor lingering for hours? It’s honestly the worst part for me, even more than the actual biopsy.
