I've got oral surgery coming up next week, and I'm trying to get myself organized. So far, I've stocked up on soft foods like yogurt, applesauce, and soups. Also grabbed some ice packs and extra pillows to keep my head elevated. Planning to binge-watch some Netflix shows to distract myself from the discomfort, haha. But um...I'm wondering if I'm missing anything or if there's a better way to prep? Curious how others handled it.
"Planning to binge-watch some Netflix shows to distract myself from the discomfort, haha."
Haha, Netflix definitely helped me through mine too. You're pretty prepared, but one thing I overlooked was having a good lip balm handy—my lips got super dry and cracked from keeping my mouth open during surgery. Also, maybe grab some gauze pads just in case...I ran out faster than expected and had to awkwardly send someone out for more mid-recovery. Good luck, you'll do fine!
Haha, Netflix is a lifesaver in these situations. My daughter went through oral surgery last summer, and we thought we had everything covered—pain meds, ice packs, soft foods...but totally overlooked how bored she'd get with the same old smoothies and yogurt after day two. Might wanna stock up on some variety there—puddings, mashed potatoes, even scrambled eggs (cooled down of course) made things a bit less monotonous.
"my lips got super dry and cracked from keeping my mouth open during surgery."
Yep, seconding this. Lip balm was a surprise essential for us too. We went through like three tubes in a week because she kept misplacing them around the house. Also, not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but having an extra pillow or two to prop yourself up slightly at night can help reduce swelling and make sleeping way more comfortable.
Oh, and just a heads-up—don't stress too much if recovery isn't exactly textbook smooth. My kiddo had some rougher moments here and there (especially first couple days), but overall it wasn't as bad as we'd feared. Just keep ahead of the pain meds schedule early on; it's easier to manage discomfort when you stay proactive about it.
Good luck—you've got this! Netflix bingeing will definitely help pass the time...just don't pick anything too funny at first, laughing might not feel great right away. 😉
Netflix definitely saved me too when I had my wisdom teeth out. I remember thinking I'd be fine with smoothies and ice cream, but by day three I was craving literally anything savory. Scrambled eggs were a lifesaver—wish I'd thought of mashed potatoes though, that sounds way better.
Did anyone else find that cold foods actually made their mouth ache more after surgery? Weirdly enough, room temperature stuff felt way more comfortable for me. Also, totally agree about the lip balm thing. My lips were wrecked for days afterward.
One thing I didn't expect was how tired I'd feel even days later. Did your daughter experience that too, or was it just me being extra dramatic? Netflix naps became a real thing for me...I'd start an episode and wake up two hours later wondering what happened, haha.
Netflix naps are definitely a thing—had plenty of patients tell me they zoned out mid-show after surgery. The tiredness makes sense, though; your body's putting energy into healing, so feeling wiped out isn't dramatic at all. Interesting point about cold foods causing more discomfort...haven't heard that one often, but everyone's different. Also seconding the lip balm suggestion—dry lips seem to be a universal complaint afterward. Good luck with your recovery!
