Metal Mouth Message Board

First night home, got some mouthwash I don't know how to use. Oh yeah some deets: I'm wired shut, apparently supposed to rinse with this stuff 4x a day but i got home like 3 hours ago.

Learning to drink and swish is definitely a messy process. Just get the mouthwash in there and tip your head around, and if you can, just do a puffer-fish kind of motion with your cheeks. You will be swishing like a pro in no time. In my opinion, all the directions we are given should be followed with, "or just do the best you can..."

Hang in there, you are in the rough days right now, but it will get better!

Haha to be honest I think I am doing a lot better than most people at my stage of "the process." Swelling isn't all that bad, surgeon actually said less than average. A little bit of liquid hydrochodone keeps me sedated for a long time, I took a shower just the other day. Really don't feel all that bad aside from the lack of sleep! I'm surprised because I'm at day three and the ortho said this would be the worst. So far, so good.

I was told to use a syringe and squirt the mouthwash all over the front of my teeth and then swish around as best you can. This way the wash will also pour around the incision sites which are important to keep clean from the beginning. You're swishing skills will improve with time.

I was given a salt water rinse that I was to use 3x daily. I would use one syringe, fill up my mouth and then slowly move my tongue around, since my cheek muscles were so numbed. If I had to, I'd do these hilarious looking head movements to move around the liquid, and then finally release the water from my mouth(because spitting was impossible.)

Basically do whatever it takes to distribute the wash around your mouth, and make sure you target your incisions especially to avoid infection. Since you can't brush your teeth you have to clean your mouth however you can.