I had a similar experience with my gum surgery recovery. Ice packs were great at first for reducing swelling, but after a couple days, heat definitely felt better for easing that tight, uncomfortable feeling. My dentist actually recommended alternating between cold and warm compresses after the first 48 hours, which seemed to speed things up a bit. And yeah, blended soups were my go-to as well—especially creamy potato soup... total comfort food when chewing was out of the question. Glad you're finding what works for you!
Yeah, totally relate to the blended soup thing—potato soup saved me too. I found that after the first couple days, gently rinsing with warm salt water really helped ease that tightness and discomfort. Plus, it's super budget-friendly compared to some of the specialty mouth rinses out there. Ice packs were great initially, but I agree, heat felt way better after a while. Sounds like you're on the right track though... recovery can be rough, but you're doing all the right things. Hang in there—it gets easier pretty quickly from here.
"Ice packs were great initially, but I agree, heat felt way better after a while."
Interesting you mention switching to heat—I had a similar experience after my gum graft. Initially, ice packs were indispensable for managing swelling, but by day three or four, I found gentle warmth more effective in easing the lingering stiffness. Also, I second your point about salt water rinses; my dentist recommended them specifically for their antiseptic properties and affordability. Recovery definitely tests patience, but it sounds like you're handling it thoughtfully.
"Recovery definitely tests patience, but it sounds like you're handling it thoughtfully."
Totally agree with this. Gum surgery recovery can feel endless sometimes... Did you find heat helped more with stiffness or actual pain relief? For me, warmth mostly loosened things up—pain-wise, ice still won out. Hang in there!
Heat never really did much for my pain either—mostly just made things feel swollen and uncomfortable. Ice was the real MVP for numbing everything down. Honestly, I stuck with cold packs way longer than my dentist recommended... paranoia maybe, but it worked.
