That “not my jaw” sensation is so real—I’ve had patients mention it feeling like their cheek’s made of rubber for days. Alternating ice and heat seems to work best, though I’ve seen folks overdo the heat and end up more swollen, so you played that smart. I always warn about poking at the area too... it’s almost irresistible, right? Funny how the less you mess with it, the faster things calm down. You ever notice any weird taste from the salt water? Some swear by it, others can’t stand it.
I totally get what you mean about the urge to poke at it—it’s weirdly hard not to! For me, the salt water rinse helped a lot with that numb, rubbery sensation, but I did notice a bit of a metallic taste. Not terrible, just... different. I found sticking to lukewarm water made it less noticeable. And yeah, less is more with heat—one time I overdid it and regretted it for days.
That metallic taste is so familiar—I remember thinking it was almost like I’d licked a penny, which is not exactly what you want after getting through a whole dental ordeal. I also tried the salt water rinse, but I might’ve overdone the salt at first and ended up making things worse for myself. Less is definitely more there, too. There’s something about that numb, rubbery feeling that just makes you want to prod at it, right? Like your tongue suddenly develops a mind of its own.
One thing that helped me was propping myself up with an extra pillow at night. I swear, lying flat made the throbbing worse for me, and just that little bit of elevation seemed to keep things calm. Also, I learned the hard way not to go anywhere near crunchy foods for a while—thought I could handle a tortilla chip and instantly regretted it. Soft foods were my best friend for about a week: mashed potatoes, yogurt, stuff like that. Not the most exciting menu, but better than dealing with more pain.
I get what you mean about temperature, too. I tried using a heat pack on my jaw and ended up with this weird ache that lingered for days. After that, I stuck to just letting my body do its thing and only used cool compresses if things felt swollen.
I know everyone’s experience is a bit different, but honestly, patience was the hardest part for me. It felt like forever before things started to feel normal again… but eventually they did. If nothing else, it’s a great excuse to binge-watch shows and eat pudding for dinner without guilt.
Propping up with an extra pillow makes a lot of sense—gravity really does seem to help with swelling and throbbing. I’ve seen a lot of people try to speed up recovery, but honestly, patience is huge. About the salt water rinse, you’re totally right—it’s easy to go overboard and end up with a sore mouth. Did you notice any difference with over-the-counter pain relievers, or did you just tough it out? Sometimes folks worry about taking meds, but they can really help keep inflammation down in those first few days.
Sometimes folks worry about taking meds, but they can really help keep inflammation down in those first few days.
I hear this a lot, and honestly, a short course of OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen can make a world of difference. No shame in using them if you need to stay comfortable—just don’t go overboard. I’ve seen people try to tough it out and end up way more miserable than necessary. Everyone’s pain tolerance is different, so it’s totally okay to do what works for you.