- 100% guilty of poking at the gap with my tongue too... it’s like your brain just can’t leave it alone, right?
- Salt rinse: totally agree, it stings at first. I found if I used a little less salt than the dentist said, it was way more bearable, and I still healed up fine. Not sure if that’s “by the book,” but it worked for me.
- Ice cream vs yogurt: I went with pudding and applesauce for a few days—less cold but easy to eat. Yogurt’s great if you can do dairy, but I got sick of it fast.
- Pro tip: I put a towel over my pillow when using an ice pack, just in case it leaked. Learned that one the hard way... nothing like waking up with a cold, soggy pillow.
- Also, try to sleep with your head propped up a bit. Helped me with swelling and kept me from rolling onto my cheek.
- Not sure if anyone else had this, but I got super paranoid about dry socket. I followed the “no straws, no smoking” rule religiously. Maybe overkill, but better safe than sorry.
Whole thing was less awful than I expected, honestly. Just takes patience (and maybe a little Netflix bingeing).
That tongue thing is so real—it’s like my brain was obsessed with the empty spot, even though I knew I shouldn’t mess with it. Salt rinses were a lifesaver for me too, but I totally cheated on the salt amount after the first day. My dentist said “no crunchy stuff” but I caved and had some mashed potatoes with gravy, just had to be super careful. The dry socket paranoia is legit... I was so freaked out about it, I even skipped hot drinks for a week. Netflix and soft snacks definitely made the whole thing more bearable.
The tongue just can’t leave it alone, right? I swear mine was trying to solve the mystery of the missing tooth. Salt rinses are clutch, but measuring? Nah. I lived on pudding and soup, but caved for scrambled eggs—worth it. Dry socket paranoia is real...
My tongue was basically a detective too—couldn’t stop poking at the gap, even though I knew better. I did measure my salt rinses, actually…maybe I’m a bit obsessive, but it helped me feel like I was doing something right. Food-wise, I stuck to mashed potatoes and yogurt for a while. Tried to avoid anything hot or crunchy, but caved for mac and cheese. Dry socket paranoia had me checking the site in every mirror I passed. The anxiety is real, but honestly, sticking to the rinse routine seemed to help more than anything else.
Dry socket paranoia had me checking the site in every mirror I passed.
That’s so relatable. I remember using my phone camera to check the extraction spot every few hours, just to make sure nothing looked “off.” Honestly, sticking to soft foods and resisting chips was tough, but it really paid off. The saltwater rinses felt tedious, but my mouth healed up faster than I expected. Funny how something as simple as mashed potatoes becomes the highlight of your week during recovery...