Patience really is the hardest part, especially when you’re starving and everything smells good...
That’s exactly it. The waiting is honestly worse than the actual procedure for me. I always feel like I’m hyper-aware of every little thing in my mouth afterward, and it’s so easy to get frustrated when you’re just hungry and tired of being careful. But you’re right, it helps hearing that others have bitten their cheek or struggled a bit—makes it feel less like you’ve messed up and more like, well, this is just how it goes.
I used to think I was the only one who’d accidentally chew on the numb side or drool a little in public (embarrassing, but hey, it happens). Looking back, none of that really mattered. The mouth heals fast and most of the “failures” are just part of getting used to things again.
If anything, I wish someone had told me sooner that it’s not about doing everything perfectly—it’s about giving yourself a break while you heal. That mindset shift made all the difference for me.
That hyper-awareness after dental work is so real. It’s like suddenly your tongue is an amateur detective, poking around every tiny bump and ridge. I remember after getting a crown, I was convinced the dentist had left some tool in my mouth because everything felt so weird for days. Turns out, nope—just my brain being dramatic.
The patience part is brutal, especially if you’re a snacker (guilty). I used to set a timer to remind myself when it was safe to eat again, but honestly, I’d just sit there staring at the clock, smelling everyone else’s lunch. The worst was when I caved too early—chewed a bite on the numb side and immediately bit my cheek. That’s a mistake you only make once (or twice, if you’re stubborn like me).
I totally get what you mean about feeling like you’ve “messed up” if you slip up. But honestly, I think most people do at least one awkward thing during recovery. The drooling thing is hilarious in hindsight—once, I tried to sip water and just completely missed my mouth at work. My coworker pretended not to notice, bless her.
One thing that helped me was sticking to really soft foods for the first day or two. Mashed potatoes, yogurt, scrambled eggs—basically anything that didn’t require chewing or risked getting stuck. And yeah, it’s not about being perfect. I used to stress about every little twinge or mistake, but mouths heal fast. If you’re careful-ish and give yourself some slack, it’s way less stressful.
Honestly, I’ve found the mental game is half the battle. If you expect a few hiccups and don’t beat yourself up, the whole process feels a lot less intimidating. And if all else fails... treat yourself to some ice cream (doctor’s orders, right?).
That tongue detective feeling is spot on. Every single time I’ve had something done—filling, crown, whatever—I’m convinced there’s a huge lump or gap, but it’s just my nerves making it worse. Did anyone else get the sticker shock at the end? I always think, “Did I really need that extra x-ray?” For food, I do oatmeal or even canned soup (cheaper than takeout and less chewing). Patience is tough, but honestly, as long as you don’t chomp down on chips right away, you’ll be fine. Anyone else struggle with the bill more than the pain?
Totally relate to the tongue detective thing—mine always finds “problems” that aren’t really there. About the bill, yeah, I get it. The pain fades but those numbers stick around. I actually asked if I could skip the extra x-ray once and my dentist kind of side-eyed me... said it was “necessary,” but who knows? For eating, I stick with scrambled eggs and yogurt for a few days. The hardest part for me is not overthinking every weird feeling in my mouth afterward.
That “tongue detective” thing gets me every single time, too. I swear, after any dental work, my tongue is convinced it’s Sherlock Holmes—every tiny bump feels like a crime scene.
I actually asked if I could skip the extra x-ray once and my dentist kind of side-eyed me... said it was “necessary,” but who knows?
I’ve wondered about the x-rays, too. Sometimes they seem to just tack them on out of habit. One time I pushed back and asked if it was really needed for a simple filling, and the dentist gave me this whole spiel about “standard procedure.” Honestly, I still don’t know if it was truly necessary or just protocol. Has anyone here ever gotten a second opinion on something like that? I’m starting to think it’s worth checking before agreeing to every single scan.
As for food, scrambled eggs and yogurt are basically my post-dentist diet, too. Tried toast once—big mistake. Felt like chewing gravel on a bruise. Now I just stick to soft stuff for a couple days and hope for the best.
The overthinking is the worst part for me. Every weird twinge makes me wonder if something’s wrong or if it’s just healing. After my last crown, I kept poking at it with my tongue for weeks, convinced it was loose. Turned out I was just not used to how it felt.
Curious—has anyone actually found a real problem by obsessively checking after dental work? Or is it usually just our brains messing with us?
