I tried one of those “healing” mouthwashes from the pharmacy once and it just tasted like chemicals, didn’t notice any difference in healing either.
Yeah, totally with you there. Those medicated rinses always left my mouth feeling weird and honestly didn’t seem to help much. Salt water’s old school but it works, no frills. For me, the hardest part was resisting the urge to poke at the area with my tongue—bad habit. I also found sleeping with my head slightly propped up helped keep swelling down overnight. Soft foods are a lifesaver, but man, I got so sick of applesauce by day three...
Salt water’s old school but it works, no frills.
Not saying salt water isn’t solid, but honestly, I actually had a different experience with those “gross chemical” mouthwashes after my wisdom teeth came out. The taste was pretty nasty, yeah, but my dentist gave me this prescription rinse—think it was chlorhexidine?—and it genuinely seemed to help keep things from getting funky in there. I’m probably just paranoid about infections though, so maybe placebo effect? Or maybe my mouth is just dramatic.
And about the soft foods... I hit that applesauce wall too. Ended up blending random stuff just for variety. Mashed up some mac and cheese (don’t judge), and yeah, it looked questionable, but at least it broke up the monotony. The worst part for me was coffee withdrawal. No hot drinks for a couple days is rough if you’re used to running on caffeine fumes.
I know people say not to poke at the spot with your tongue, but I swear my brain decided to make that THE ONLY thing I could think about for like a week. It’s like when someone says “don’t think about pink elephants.” Impossible.
Sleeping propped up totally helped with the swelling though—props for that tip. I also tried one of those little ice pack head wraps that make you look like a cartoon character with a toothache. Felt silly but worked.
TL;DR: Not all medicated rinses are useless (at least for me), and if you get tired of applesauce, mashed potatoes with gravy are a game changer.
Yeah, I totally relate to the chlorhexidine rinse thing—it tasted awful but I felt like it really did something. My dentist said it’s more targeted than salt water for infection risk, especially right after surgery. I still alternated with salt water just to be safe. And I’m with you on the tongue struggle… it’s like your brain invents new ways to obsess over the extraction site. I also found cold mashed avocado (with a little salt) was weirdly soothing and easy to eat, if you want another soft food idea.
That taste from the chlorhexidine rinse really is something else, isn’t it? I remember feeling like I was swishing with a mix of medicine and metal, but my dentist swore by it after my last extraction. I did the same—alternated with salt water, just to feel like I was covering all my bases. It’s funny how your tongue suddenly becomes hyper-aware of every little thing going on in your mouth. I used to catch myself poking at the spot without even thinking about it.
Cold mashed avocado sounds brilliant, actually. I stuck with applesauce and yogurt for ages, but got so bored. The cold really does help with that weird ache, too. One thing I learned (the hard way) was to avoid anything with little seeds or grains—chia pudding was a disaster for me, got stuck everywhere. Anyway, it sounds like you’re handling things really well. It does get easier each day, even if those first few days feel endless. Hang in there, you’re doing great.
That chlorhexidine taste really is unforgettable—like licking a battery, honestly. I’ll admit, I’m a huge fan of salt water rinses over the medicated stuff, but my dentist was pretty insistent too. Totally agree on the seed/grain issue; I once thought a poppyseed muffin was “soft enough” and regretted it immediately. If you can get your hands on some sugar-free popsicles, they’re a lifesaver for that dull ache and help with hydration. Just don’t use a straw... learned that one the hard way.
