"Neutral foods like oatmeal and banana smoothies are always a safe bet in the early days."
I agree oatmeal and smoothies are generally safe, but honestly, even oatmeal was a bit tricky for me at first. The texture felt gritty and uncomfortable around the extraction site, so I had to switch to something even smoother—like yogurt or blended soups without chunks. I think sometimes even neutral foods can be problematic depending on texture, not just acidity.
Also, I found that temperature mattered a lot more than I expected. Anything slightly too warm—even if it wasn't acidic—caused discomfort and slowed down my healing. So, I'd suggest paying attention to temperature as well as acidity. It's surprising how sensitive our mouths can be after something like this.
Anyway, it sounds like you're already being careful and attentive, so I'm sure you'll be fine soon enough. Just thought I'd mention my experience in case it helps someone else navigating the same thing.
Did you find cold foods helpful at all? I tried chilled applesauce and it was surprisingly soothing. Warm stuff was definitely tricky... even lukewarm soup felt uncomfortable at first. Maybe try something cooler if you're still struggling?
Cold foods definitely helped me too, especially smoothies. I found blending frozen bananas, berries, and a bit of yogurt made a huge difference. The cold numbed the soreness, and the texture was gentle enough not to irritate anything. Warm stuff was tricky for me initially as well...even mildly warm tea felt uncomfortable. Maybe give frozen fruit smoothies a shot if applesauce worked for you? Hope things get easier soon!
Smoothies were a lifesaver for me too. Frozen mango chunks with coconut milk were my go-to combo—super soothing and creamy without being too heavy or irritating. Warm stuff felt weirdly harsh at first, even soups I thought would be gentle. Hang in there though, it really does get better after the first few days...you'll be back to regular foods before you know it.
Smoothies definitely saved me too, but honestly, mashed potatoes were my real MVP. I mean, smoothies are great and all, but after a couple days I was craving something savory so badly. I tried soups too, thinking they'd be gentle, but yeah...somehow warm liquids felt oddly harsh on the extraction site at first. Weird how that works, right?
One thing I found helpful was blending avocado into my smoothies—sounds kinda weird maybe, but it made them extra creamy and filling without being heavy or irritating. Plus, avocado is packed with nutrients that help healing. Win-win.
Also, random tip from experience: avoid anything with tiny seeds (looking at you strawberries and raspberries). Those little suckers get stuck everywhere and trust me, fishing them out of your extraction site is NOT fun.
Hang tight though—it really does get easier pretty quickly. Before you know it you'll be happily munching on crunchy stuff again and this smoothie-and-mashed-potato phase will just be a funny memory to look back on.
