Haha, frozen peas are a classic move—I used them when my son had his wisdom teeth out. Worked like a charm until he decided to nap with them still on his face. Woke up with a huge red patch and freaked out thinking he'd permanently damaged his skin. Cue me frantically googling "pea-induced frostbite" at 2 AM (spoiler: it's not really a thing, thank goodness). Luckily, the redness faded pretty quick, but he still teases me about my late-night panic session.
Speaking of distractions, has anyone else found good ways to keep kids occupied post-surgery without them getting bored or restless? My son got tired of Netflix after day two, and I swear, keeping him from poking at his stitches was a full-time job...
"keeping him from poking at his stitches was a full-time job..."
Haha, totally relate to this! When my daughter had gum surgery, puzzles and audiobooks saved us. She got super into podcasts too—surprisingly effective distraction, and hands-free meant less stitch-poking drama. Worth a shot maybe?
Haha, podcasts are a solid idea actually. When I had my wisdom teeth out, I binged true crime podcasts—got so wrapped up in the stories I forgot to poke around my mouth every five minutes. Also, weirdly enough, video games helped too. Something about needing both hands on the controller kept me from messing with stitches. Maybe worth trying if he's into gaming at all? Good luck...stitch drama is no joke.
Totally agree about podcasts—true crime is oddly perfect for distracting yourself from dental discomfort. Interesting point about video games too, hadn't thought of that. I wonder if it's because gaming requires constant hand-eye coordination, so your brain's fully occupied? Another thing I've heard helps is audiobooks, especially something suspenseful or immersive. Keeps your mind busy without needing to stare at a screen, which can sometimes cause headaches post-surgery...just a thought. Hope recovery goes smoothly!
Good point about audiobooks—I found historical fiction particularly effective after my own gum surgery. The detailed narratives and complex characters really helped divert my attention from the discomfort without causing eye strain. Also, from a budget-conscious perspective, many libraries offer free audiobook apps, which can save quite a bit compared to subscription services. Ice packs are definitely essential, but pairing them with a gripping story made recovery noticeably smoother for me. Hope you're feeling better soon!
