That “tin can” taste is all too familiar—my kid complained about it for days after her biopsy. Lemon was a total no-go for us, too. She tried it once and said it felt like pouring salt in a paper cut. I’m with you on the sugar-free gum—mint flavor seemed to be the only thing that actually masked that weird metallic aftertaste for her, at least for a little while. Pudding and rinses just didn’t do much except make things feel gummier.
One thing we found by accident was those frozen fruit bars (the ones without citrus). She could sort of suck on them without too much discomfort, and they seemed to help with both the taste and the swelling. Not perfect, but better than nothing. I honestly think they should warn people more about how long that taste can stick around—it’s not just a minor side effect, especially for kids who already hate dental stuff.
Still can’t believe something as simple as gum made more difference than half the “official” suggestions we got...
Still can’t believe something as simple as gum made more difference than half the “official” suggestions we got...
That right there—gum was the MVP at my house too. After my own biopsy (not fun, would not recommend), I tried every “approved” suggestion and most just made my mouth feel like I’d been chewing on a candle. Pudding? Only if you enjoy the sensation of glue. Mouth rinses? More like flavor roulette.
I did find that those old-school grape popsicles (the ones that stain your tongue purple for days) were surprisingly soothing, even if they made me look like I was auditioning for a cartoon. The cold helped with swelling, and grape is about as far from citrus as you can get.
One thing I wish someone had warned me about: how toothpaste can suddenly taste like battery acid for a while. Had to switch to some bland kids’ paste, which felt a little silly at age 34, but hey, whatever works.
Honestly, it’s wild what actually helps and what’s just... nonsense. If minty gum is what gets you through, then stock up and don’t look back.
The toothpaste thing caught me off guard too! My kiddo flat-out refused to brush for a few days because “it burns.” We ended up with watermelon-flavored toddler paste, which felt a bit ridiculous for a 9-year-old, but hey—no complaints about battery acid. Popsicles were our go-to as well, especially the blue ones. The cold really does take the edge off. Funny how the “official” lists never mention the stuff that actually works for real people.
The watermelon toothpaste cracked me up—my cousin’s 10-year-old still insists on bubblegum flavor, so you’re not alone there. We had a similar “burning” issue after my nephew’s biopsy and honestly, it was like negotiating with a tiny lawyer every night. Popsicles were a lifesaver for us too, especially when nothing else sounded good. Did you find any tricks for getting back to regular toothpaste later? I’m always curious if folks just stick with the kid stuff or eventually transition back.
Honestly, I thought we’d be on the bubblegum toothpaste train forever. My kid was so dramatic about “spicy” toothpaste—like, full-on Oscar-worthy performances. What worked for us was mixing a tiny dab of regular mint with the kid flavor and slooowly upping the ratio over a few weeks. Not gonna lie, there were some setbacks (and a lot of eye-rolling), but eventually, she just accepted it wasn’t that bad. Still keeps a watermelon tube as backup, though... just in case.
