How soon did you get back to your routine after a tooth pulled?

Honestly, I get the fear - dry socket is like the dental boogeyman. But I think the soft food thing is a little overhyped. I was back to eating scrambled eggs and even some overcooked pasta by day three. As long as you chew on the other side and keep it gentle, it’s not as risky as Google makes it sound.

“the fear of dry socket is real”

“the fear of dry socket is real”

You’re not wrong about that - dry socket haunted me for days after my extraction. I remember reading all those horror stories online and thinking every twinge was the start of it. But you’re right, the soft food warnings do seem a bit overblown sometimes. I stuck to mashed potatoes and pudding for the first two days, but by day four I was eating soft bread and even a little chicken (just chewed very carefully on the opposite side).

It’s easy to get caught up in worst-case scenarios, especially when you’re already anxious. I think there’s a balance between being careful and letting fear take over. Listening to your body helps. If something feels off, slow down, but otherwise, gentle chewing seems pretty safe after a few days.

I do wish I’d worried less and trusted the process a bit more. The anxiety was honestly worse than the recovery itself.

I stuck to mashed potatoes and pudding for the first two days, but by day four I was eating soft bread and even a little chicken (just chewed very carefully on the opposite side).

Interesting - my kid’s oral surgeon was super strict about keeping to liquids and really soft stuff for nearly a week. We were told no bread, no rice, nothing that could get stuck. Maybe they’re extra cautious with younger patients? Did your dentist give you a specific timeline, or did you just go by how you felt? I’m always second guessing if we’re being too careful or not careful enough.

That’s interesting - my dentist was kind of in between. He said to stick with super soft foods for 3-4 days, then slowly try more as long as it didn’t hurt or get stuck. I was paranoid about dry socket, so I probably waited longer than I needed to. I do think they’re stricter with kids, just to be safe. Honestly, I’d rather be too cautious than risk a setback... mashed potatoes aren’t so bad anyway.

I’m with you on the paranoia - I stretched out the soft food phase just to be safe (and because applesauce is cheap). My dentist said I could go back to normal after a few days too, but honestly, I was in no rush. Dry socket sounded expensive and painful, so I figured better safe than sorry. Plus, mashed potatoes are way more budget-friendly than steak anyway...