Reusable gel packs are definitely worth it—I still have mine from years ago too, and it's come in handy more times than I can count. But speaking of smoothies, did anyone else find themselves craving solid foods way earlier than expected? I remember desperately wanting pizza by day three... how soon were you all able to comfortably eat regular meals again?
I totally relate to craving solid foods way earlier than expected—I was dreaming about burgers by day two, honestly. But I was pretty anxious about causing complications, so I stuck with soft foods for almost a full week. Even then, chewing felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable at first. Did anyone else feel nervous about transitioning back to normal foods, or was I just overly cautious?
"Did anyone else feel nervous about transitioning back to normal foods, or was I just overly cautious?"
Nah, you're definitely not alone there. I remember being super careful too—partly because I didn't want to mess anything up and partly because I didn't want to pay for extra dentist visits (budget life, lol). I started with scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes around day 4 or 5, then slowly moved onto pasta and softer meats. Took me almost two weeks before chewing felt totally normal again... guess everyone's different though.
Feeling cautious is totally understandable—your mouth just went through a lot. Usually after the first week, most people ease back into softer foods. Did anyone else find cold foods like smoothies or yogurt helpful for soothing discomfort?
Cold stuff was honestly a lifesaver for me. I remember practically living off smoothies and frozen yogurt cups for the first few days... something about the chill really helped numb the ache, especially when my jaw felt all swollen and sore. But weirdly enough, after about a week, I started craving warm comfort foods like mashed potatoes and soup. Guess my mouth was ready to graduate from frozen treats to lukewarm mush, haha.
For me, feeling completely normal took around two weeks. Even then, chewing crunchy stuff still felt awkward for a bit longer. Everyone heals differently, though—my sister bounced back in less than a week and was eating pizza like nothing happened (still jealous about that). Hang in there; you'll be back to normal before you know it.
