the gel ones felt nicer since they mold around your jaw better, but I had to wrap them in a towel or they got way too cold.
I totally get what you mean about the gel packs—way more comfortable, but I had one burst on me too. Not fun waking up to a damp pillow. For me, the nighttime swelling was worse if I didn’t prop myself up with extra pillows. Have you tried sleeping a bit elevated? It’s not a perfect fix, but it helped keep things from getting too puffy overnight. Hang in there... it really does get better after the first few days.
For me, the nighttime swelling was worse if I didn’t prop myself up with extra pillows. Have you tried sleeping a bit elevated?
Yeah, I actually tried sleeping propped up after reading about it online, but honestly, it didn’t make a huge difference for me. Maybe I just move around too much in my sleep and end up flat anyway. The swelling was still pretty noticeable in the mornings.
I’m curious—how soon did you all feel like you could get back to normal stuff, like eating regular food or going to work? I waited about three days before I even attempted anything more than soup or mashed potatoes, but I’ve heard some people bounce back way faster. I was worried about dry socket, so maybe I was just being overly cautious. Did anyone here try gentle exercise or walking around, or did you stick to full rest? Just trying to figure out if I was being too careful or not careful enough…
I was super anxious about dry socket too, so I probably took it slower than most. Didn’t touch anything crunchy for almost a week and stuck to soft foods longer than my dentist suggested. Walking around the house felt okay after a couple days, but I definitely avoided anything strenuous. Sometimes I wonder if I was being too cautious, but honestly, better safe than sorry with this stuff…
Honestly, I’ve seen folks bounce back faster than you did, but I don’t think you were overdoing the caution. Dry socket is no joke—seen enough people in my chair who wish they’d taken it slower. I remember one guy who thought he was fine after two days and went for a jog... let’s just say he regretted it. Sometimes taking that extra day or two with mashed potatoes and Netflix is the smarter call.
I’m with you on taking it slow—dry socket was my biggest fear after my extraction. I waited about four days before even thinking about anything more strenuous than walking to the fridge. I remember feeling almost fine on day three, but then I sneezed and got this weird ache. That was enough for me to stick to soup and streaming for a bit longer. Honestly, I’d rather be bored than in pain again.
