I had a similar experience after my gum surgery. Ice packs were great initially, but after a day or two, they just didn't seem to cut it anymore. I switched to alternating warm and cold compresses, and it felt like the healing sped up noticeably. Not sure about chamomile tea bags though...tried them once and didn't notice much difference. Maybe I didn't steep them long enough? Clove oil was definitely helpful, but man, that taste took some getting used to...
Glad I'm not the only one who found the ice pack magic wearing off after a couple days. I'm scheduled for gum surgery next week (first time, yikes...), and I've been obsessively reading everyone's experiences here—thanks for sharing yours, btw. 😊
I was actually thinking about trying chamomile tea bags because my mom swears by them for everything from toothaches to insomnia. But hearing your experience makes me wonder if they're really worth it. Maybe it's like you said—steeping longer could help? Or maybe it's just one of those things that works better for some people than others.
About clove oil: I've heard it's effective but tastes pretty intense. Your comment about the taste made me laugh because my friend described it as "chewing on Christmas decorations." 😂 Still, if it helps with pain, I guess I'll brave the holiday spice flavor.
Alternating warm and cold compresses sounds interesting though—never thought of that. Did your dentist recommend it or did you just experiment? I'm tempted to try that method myself if ice alone isn't cutting it after day one or two. Honestly, anything to speed up healing sounds good to me right now.
Anyway, thanks again for posting your tips—it's reassuring to know others have survived this and found ways to make recovery easier. Fingers crossed mine goes smoothly too...
"Alternating warm and cold compresses sounds interesting though—never thought of that. Did your dentist recommend it or did you just experiment?"
My dentist actually recommended alternating compresses after the first 48 hours. She explained that ice helps reduce swelling initially, but after a couple days, warmth can boost circulation and speed up healing. I was skeptical at first, but honestly, it made a noticeable difference for me. The warmth felt soothing too, especially when the ice packs started losing their charm.
Chamomile tea bags didn't do much for me either, unfortunately. But my sister swears by them for toothaches, so maybe it's just one of those personal things? Clove oil definitely tastes like Christmas exploded in your mouth (your friend's description cracked me up 😂), but it numbs pretty effectively if you can handle the flavor.
Have you considered asking your dentist about saltwater rinses post-surgery? Mine recommended them to help keep things clean and promote healing. Curious if anyone else found them helpful or if they're just another old-school remedy...
My dentist also recommended saltwater rinses, and honestly, they were a lifesaver for me. It felt a bit weird at first, but it really helped keep things clean without irritating the area.
"Clove oil definitely tastes like Christmas exploded in your mouth"
Haha, that's exactly why I couldn't handle clove oil—too intense! Did anyone else's dentist suggest certain foods that might help with healing? Mine mentioned yogurt and smoothies, but I'm curious if there are other good options out there...
My dentist also mentioned yogurt, but weirdly enough, he suggested scrambled eggs too. Apparently they're soft enough to eat comfortably and have a decent amount of protein for healing. I was skeptical at first, but honestly, eggs ended up being my go-to when smoothies got boring (which happened pretty fast...). I tried mashed avocado as well—easy to eat and felt soothing somehow. Clove oil though...yeah, that's a hard pass from me. Felt like chewing on potpourri, lol. Did anyone else find that cold foods helped numb the area a bit? Ice cream was tempting, but I worried about the sugar irritating things. Curious if anyone braved it anyway.
