I get what you mean about the yawn thing. I kept feeling like one wrong move and I’d be back in the chair begging for help. But I’m actually wondering—did your dentist say NOT to rinse much in those first couple of days? I was told to do gentle saltwater rinses after 24 hours, and it honestly helped keep the weird taste away (and calmed my nerves a bit). I was still super careful, like barely swishing, just kind of letting it sit and then tipping it out. Felt silly, but at least it felt like I was doing something.
I’ve heard people say that being too aggressive with rinsing can mess with clotting, but I’m not sure if not rinsing at all is any better. I mean, what’s worse—risking the clot, or letting gunk just sit there? I kept second-guessing myself. Did you get any clear instructions, or was it just “don’t disturb it”? Sometimes I feel like dentists assume we know what “gentle” means, but after a tooth pull, nothing feels gentle.
And about the stitches—yeah, the paranoia is real. I kept thinking I was going to laugh too hard or sneeze and just…pop. But after a few days, mine felt way sturdier than I expected. Did yours dissolve on their own, or did you have to go back to get them out? I was convinced mine were going to hang around forever, but they just…disappeared one morning.
Anyway, I wouldn’t say I was brave about cleaning, but I was definitely paranoid about infection. Maybe a little too much. Curious if anyone else felt like they were overdoing it, or if being cautious actually paid off for them.