Yeah, learned the same lesson the hard way...thought I'd just eyeball the timing, ended up binge-watching Netflix and totally forgetting. Trust me, timers save you from turning into a swollen balloon face—speaking from experience here.
Timers definitely help, but honestly I set multiple alarms on my phone just in case one doesn't go off. Maybe overkill, but better safe than sorry... swollen face anxiety is real.
Haha, totally get the multiple alarms thing—I did the same. But honestly, I found keeping a detailed schedule on my fridge helped even more. Seeing "ice pack time" written down somehow calmed my nerves... weirdly therapeutic?
"Seeing 'ice pack time' written down somehow calmed my nerves... weirdly therapeutic?"
Haha, I totally get what you mean about the schedule thing. I didn't go as far as putting mine on the fridge, but I did scribble down reminders on sticky notes around my desk. Something about physically crossing off each ice pack session felt oddly satisfying—like a mini victory each time.
Honestly though, after my gum surgery, the ice packs were great, but what really helped me was alternating them with warm saltwater rinses once my dentist gave the okay. It sounds kinda gross, I know, but it seriously sped up my healing and reduced swelling faster than just ice alone. Plus, it was a nice break from the constant cold packs.
Also, random tip: if you're tired of holding ice packs to your face, try wrapping them in a scarf or stretchy headband. Hands-free icing is a game changer, trust me. I binge-watched an entire season of a show without having to constantly adjust the pack—made recovery way less annoying.
Anyway, everyone's different, but thought I'd throw that out there in case it helps someone else. Gum surgery recovery isn't exactly fun, but these little tricks definitely made mine more manageable. Hang in there—it gets better pretty quickly!
I can totally understand why seeing "ice pack time" written out would feel comforting. There's something reassuring about having a clear plan when you're dealing with recovery—especially dental stuff, which can be pretty stressful. I remember after my wisdom teeth came out, I was so anxious about doing everything exactly right to avoid complications. I probably overdid the ice packs at first, haha.
But honestly, the scarf trick mentioned above is genius. Wish I'd thought of that instead of awkwardly propping pillows to hold the ice packs in place while trying (and failing) to nap comfortably. Also, totally second the warm saltwater rinses once you're cleared for them. As someone who tends to worry about infections and healing properly, those rinses felt like a small reassurance that I was actively helping things along.
Recovery can feel slow at first, but it really does pick up after the first few days...hang in there and keep checking off those ice pack sessions. You're doing great 🙂
