[Closed] Getting ready for oral surgery - my game plan

"Like when you're told not to scratch an itch and suddenly that's all you can think about."

This is exactly how I felt after my wisdom teeth extraction. Before the procedure, I wasn't even a big fan of crunchy snacks, but during recovery, all I could think about was chips and popcorn - basically everything off-limits. Interestingly enough, once fully healed, those cravings vanished completely. It might've been psychological rather than nerve-related in my case, but it's intriguing how our minds react under restrictions...

I totally get this. When I had my root canal done, the dentist casually mentioned avoiding hot coffee for a few days. Normally, I can go without coffee no problem, but suddenly I was craving it like crazy. I even found myself daydreaming about a steaming cup of coffee - ridiculous, right? Once I got the green light to drink it again, the craving disappeared almost immediately. Weird how our brains work, isn't it?

I feel this so much. I had veneers done last year, and my dentist told me to avoid crunchy foods like apples or carrots for a couple of weeks. Normally, I rarely eat apples anyway (too paranoid about chipping teeth), but suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about biting into one. It's like the second we're told we can't have something, our brain goes into overdrive thinking about it nonstop. Super frustrating how that works... Glad your coffee craving passed quickly though.

"It's like the second we're told we can't have something, our brain goes into overdrive thinking about it nonstop."

Haha, this is exactly me right now. I'm scheduled for wisdom teeth removal next week, and suddenly I'm craving popcorn like never before. I don't even like popcorn that much - it's always getting stuck in my teeth and driving me nuts - but now it's all I can think about. Glad to hear your coffee craving passed quickly though... gives me hope mine will too. Fingers crossed!

Haha, sounds familiar. When my daughter had her braces put on, the orthodontist casually mentioned avoiding chewy candy... guess what she instantly craved? Yep, gummy bears. She hadn't touched them in months, but suddenly they were all she could talk about. Funny how our brains latch onto the forbidden stuff. Maybe stock up on some ice cream or smoothies to distract yourself? It helped her get past the gummy bear phase pretty quick.

"Funny how our brains latch onto the forbidden stuff."

Haha, isn't that the truth? When I had my wisdom teeth out, the dentist casually mentioned avoiding popcorn. Suddenly, popcorn was everywhere - movies, commercials, even coworkers bringing it into the office. It was like a conspiracy! Smoothies definitely helped me too, especially banana-peanut butter ones. Something about them felt indulgent enough to distract me from the popcorn cravings... at least most of the time. Good luck with your surgery - you've got this!

Haha, your popcorn story reminds me of when I had a root canal last year. Dentist said no crunchy foods for a while, and suddenly all I wanted was potato chips - like obsessively. I swear, even the vending machine at work started stocking new flavors just to taunt me. Ended up surviving on mashed potatoes and mac 'n' cheese for days... comfort food FTW. Hang in there, it'll pass quicker than ya think.

Haha, isn't it funny how our brains work? The moment someone tells us we can't have something, it's suddenly the ONLY thing we want. I've seen patients craving everything from crunchy tacos to caramel popcorn post-surgery. Your mashed potatoes and mac 'n' cheese survival kit sounds spot-on though...comfort food really does help get you through. Hang in there - you're right, it'll be over before you know it, and soon you'll be reunited with your beloved chips.

It's interesting you mention comfort food...my kiddo had oral surgery last summer, and honestly, comfort food wasn't the biggest hit here. You'd think mac 'n' cheese would be the winner, right? But nope, turns out it was smoothies all day, every day. We even got creative - banana peanut butter, mango coconut, you name it. I wonder if sometimes it's less about craving something forbidden and more about just finding something soothing and easy to manage. Did you try smoothies or cold foods yet? Might be worth a shot if you get tired of the usual mashed potatoes routine. Anyway, hang tight. It really does fly by quicker than you'd think, and soon enough chips will be back on your menu.

"I wonder if sometimes it's less about craving something forbidden and more about just finding something soothing and easy to manage."

That's a good point, actually. I had oral surgery myself last year, and honestly, the anxiety beforehand was worse than the recovery itself. Smoothies were okay, but I found cold soups - like gazpacho or chilled cucumber soup - easier to handle. They felt comforting without being overly sweet. Did anyone else find savory cold foods more appealing than sweet smoothies? Curious if it's just me...

"Smoothies were okay, but I found cold soups - like gazpacho or chilled cucumber soup - easier to handle."

Hmm, hadn't even thought about savory cold soups...I just assumed smoothies were the default. Now I'm wondering if something less sweet might actually help ease my nerves a bit. Did anyone else find sweet stuff kinda overwhelming?

Now I'm wondering if something less sweet might actually help ease my nerves a bit. Did anyone else find sweet stuff kinda overwhelming?

I totally get what you mean about sweet stuff being overwhelming sometimes. After my surgery, smoothies felt too sugary and heavy on my stomach. Savory soups like gazpacho were a lifesaver - felt more like real food and less like dessert. Definitely worth trying if sweetness isn't your thing.

I remember my daughter feeling the same way - she got tired of sweet shakes pretty quickly. We switched to mild broths and blended veggie soups, and she seemed way more comfortable. Maybe something warm and savory could help settle your nerves a bit?

"Maybe something warm and savory could help settle your nerves a bit?"

Totally agree with this. When I had my wisdom teeth out, I stocked up on chocolate shakes thinking I'd be living the dream...but after day two, I was craving anything that wasn't sweet. Ended up begging my roommate to blend up some chicken noodle soup - sounds weird, but it was honestly the highlight of my recovery. Savory soups definitely helped me feel more human again, so I'd say you're onto something there.

I get the savory angle, but honestly, warm stuff right after surgery made my swelling worse. I stuck to room-temp smoothies and yogurt for a couple days - boring, yeah, but it kept inflammation down. Maybe hold off on hot soups at first?

I totally get the logic behind avoiding hot stuff, but weirdly enough, lukewarm broth was my lifesaver. I remember being super anxious before my wisdom teeth came out, and I stocked up on ice cream and smoothies thinking cold was the way to go. But after surgery, cold stuff actually made my jaw tense up more. Room-temp broth was gentle enough not to irritate things but still comforting. Did anyone else find cold foods uncomfortable, or was that just me being overly sensitive?

I feel you on the ice cream thing - I thought it'd be the perfect excuse to binge on Ben & Jerry's, but my jaw wasn't having it either. Weirdly enough, room temp mashed potatoes turned out to be my hero food. Cold stuff made my mouth feel kinda tight and uncomfortable, almost like a brain freeze but in your jaw... not fun. Guess everyone's nerves react differently, so maybe it's not sensitivity, just your body's way of telling you what works?

Haha, mashed potatoes were my lifesaver too - though I went for lukewarm mac n cheese mostly. Did anyone else randomly crave foods they normally hate? I was suddenly all about applesauce... still can't stand it now tho.

Haha, applesauce was a no-go for me - felt like baby food. Weirdly enough though, I got obsessed with cottage cheese, something I'd normally avoid like the plague. Haven't touched it since... texture PTSD is real.

"Weirdly enough though, I got obsessed with cottage cheese, something I'd normally avoid like the plague."

Haha, funny how tastebuds flip after surgery... Cottage cheese is actually a solid choice - protein-rich and gentle on healing gums. Maybe try mixing it with some fruit next time to ease the texture trauma? Hang in there, it gets better!