I get why massaging the gums might seem helpful, but honestly, I'd be super cautious about doing that too soon after extraction. My dentist specifically warned me not to poke around or touch the area at all for at least a week or two because of the risk of dry socket or infection. He explained step-by-step how even gentle pressure could dislodge the clot that's forming, and trust me, that's something I did NOT want to deal with... 😬
For me, it took about four weeks before I felt comfortable enough to brush normally near the extraction site, and sensitivity lingered even longer. Sensodyne helped a ton, but I also found rinsing with warm salt water (just gently swishing—no vigorous rinsing) really soothing and safe. Everyone heals differently, though. If gentle massage worked for you, that's great; I'm just personally way too anxious to risk it!
Yeah, I totally get the anxiety around dry socket...been there, worried about that too. Took me around three weeks before I felt okay brushing normally again, but honestly, sensitivity stuck around for a good month or so. Warm salt water rinses were my lifesaver too—so soothing and gentle. Everyone's healing timeline is different though, so just listen to your body and don't rush things. It'll get better eventually!
I remember worrying a ton about dry socket too—it's one of those things you hear awful stories about and then you can't stop thinking about it afterward, right? Warm salt water rinses were definitely helpful for me as well, but I also found that gently using a syringe (my dentist gave me one) to flush out the extraction sites after meals really made a difference. Did your dentist give you anything like that?
Honestly, the timeline varies so much from person to person. For me, I felt mostly normal after two weeks, but random sensitivity would pop up out of nowhere for at least another month or two. One day I'd be fine eating something crunchy, and the next day I'd bite down wrong and get a sharp reminder that things weren't totally healed yet. Did anyone else have those random "ouch" moments weeks later?
I totally get the random sensitivity thing...mine lasted way longer than I expected. I didn't get a syringe from my dentist, but I found gently swishing water after meals helped a lot. Honestly, patience was key—eventually it just stopped happening one day without me even noticing. Hang in there!
I feel you on the patience thing, but honestly, I think the syringe from the dentist made a huge difference for me. Swishing water helped a bit, sure, but I kept getting these annoying little bits of food stuck back there that just wouldn't budge. Once I started using the syringe to gently flush out the sockets after meals, it was like night and day—way less irritation and sensitivity. Everyone heals differently though, so maybe you lucked out without needing one. But if anyone else is struggling with lingering discomfort or sensitivity, I'd definitely suggest asking your dentist about it. It might speed things up a bit...or at least make the waiting game more comfortable.
