The paranoia is real, though… I remember checking the extraction site every hour like it was a science experiment.
That line cracked me up because I did the exact same thing. I had my phone flashlight out, trying to get a good look in the mirror every couple of hours, convinced I’d spot something weird. Honestly, it’s wild how much you start overthinking every little twinge or weird taste.
I totally relate to sticking with soft foods for way longer than necessary. For me, it was applesauce and those little pudding cups—my fridge looked like a preschool snack shelf. I kept reading horror stories about dry socket and got so paranoid that even rinsing my mouth felt risky. Looking back, I wish someone had told me that a little bit of discomfort is normal and not everything is an emergency.
Funny enough, once I relaxed a bit and trusted the healing process, things got easier. Still can’t look at mashed potatoes without remembering those days...
All those snack packs and applesauce containers definitely take over your fridge, right? I was in the same boat—stocked up on every soft food that was on sale, even stuff I didn’t really like, just because it was cheap. Ended up eating way too much store-brand pudding... Also, I kept stressing about using the salt rinse—like, is this the right temperature? Am I doing it too much? Not enough? In hindsight, I probably worried more than I needed to. Did anyone else try to save money by skipping the fancy mouthwashes or just me?
We did the same thing—filled half the fridge with those little cups and then my kid barely touched most of them. Honestly, I don’t think the fancy mouthwashes are necessary either. We stuck with salt water rinses and it worked out fine, though I was always second-guessing if it was too hot or too cold. Did anyone else’s kid just refuse to eat anything but mashed potatoes for days? I swear, we could’ve saved a lot by just making a giant batch and calling it good...
We had a freezer full of popsicles and my son just kept asking for plain rice, so I totally get the mashed potato thing. Did you notice any issues with texture—like, were they picky about lumps or temperature? I felt like every little thing set off his nerves for a week. Also, did your kid complain about the taste of salt water? Mine wasn't a fan, but it seemed to help more than those store-bought rinses.
That’s funny, my kid was the exact opposite—he wouldn’t touch anything bland. Mashed potatoes were a hard sell unless they were basically liquid and piping hot. Lumps were a dealbreaker, though. As for salt water, he said it tasted like “the ocean but worse,” but he still preferred it over the minty rinse, which apparently “burned.” Did you have any trouble getting your son to drink enough fluids? Hydration was a whole other battle for us.