Well, this has been quite the “toothy” week at my house.
My oldest daughter just got 2 wisdom teeth removed a few days ago. She’s on Spring break from college this week, so it was perfect timing and she did great, but…
The oral surgeon did warn us that her face would be pretty sore the first day, especially after the anesthesia wore off. It was, and unfortunately, our pharmacy was backed up in filling prescriptions, so her anesthesia wore off before she could take her first pain relief pill. The doctor’s office had recommended she ice both sides of her face all day, 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off.
So, while we waited to get her prescription filled, we got her pain management started with a homemade ice pack.
I wanted to share the directions for our homemade ice pack, just in case you ever need one, too. It is super simple to make.
Here’s what you need:
(This post includes some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to see my full disclosure policy.)
- 1 pair of long tube socks
- a safety pin
- 4 zip top bags (2 snack size and 2 sandwich size)
- water
- rubbing alcohol
Get our FREE soft foods to eat printable grocery list. Click HERE or below! 👇
Recipe for homemade ice packs.
These ice packs are great because, with the addition of the rubbing alcohol, the packs stay flexible. They don’t freeze solid, making it easier to contour to your face. You can make as much or as little as you want, but the basic formula is 1 part alcohol to 3 parts water.
Because I wanted extra ice packs to switch out as they thawed, I made 4 snack-sized ice packs, then double-bagged them inside sandwich-sized bags in case they leaked (FYI, about 1-1/2 c. of water and 1/2 c. of rubbing alcohol filled 2 snack-sized bags).
Assembling the ice pack holder.
This is super simple!
Safety pin the toes of the 2 socks together.
Stuff an ice pack in each sock all the way down to the toe.
All the way down…
How to use it.
When we got home from her appointment, my daughter was still pretty groggy, but they told her to stay upright and not lie down. So, once we got her comfy on the couch, we simply tied the tops of the socks in a knot on top of her head. It worked perfectly, with an ice pack positioned on each side of her face, and it stayed in just the right places without slipping!
Here’s what it looked like. She gave me permission to share this (and even though she looks like she’s pitiful and in pain, she is really asleep!) 😉
She didn’t have any swelling at all, and I do think it was because we were pretty diligent about the icing routine!
Ready to get organized? Get your free guide of 10 fast and easy ways to get organized for under $10 below, created by a professional organizer (me 😊).
How well do these homemade ice packs work, you ask?
As proof, here she is at dinner the same night as her surgery. Pain-free and feeling hungry. But, alas, see her sad, sad dinner of mashed potatoes and pudding and how she feels about missing out on meatloaf? 😉 Her 13-year-old brother thought her dinner sounded amazing, by the way…
So, make sure you get fully stocked up on foods that don’t require much chewing and can slide down easily.
Click below to get your FREE checklist of soft foods to eat! 👇
By the way, here is my favorite recipe for mac and cheese. (It takes little chewing) 😊
It is so easy because it’s made in the crockpot and totally delicious! I even included a low-fat version, too. Click here or the picture below for the recipe.
UPDATE: In the 2 years after we made it through the first kid’s surgery, both of my other 2 kids have had all 4 of their wisdom teeth out. My other daughter had a bit of swelling and bruising on one side from the removal of a very stubborn tooth, but the oral surgeon still recommended using the ice packs or it would have been worse.
My son didn’t have any swelling at all after the surgery (but he had a swollen face BEFORE from an impacted wisdom tooth. Once it was removed, he was much better).
If you or your kids are getting ready for oral surgery, make sure to freeze up some of these homemade ice packs and get your ice pack holder all ready. Your mouth will thank you!
What else have you found that works great after oral surgery?
I’m pretty sure the tooth fairy hates us at this point… 😉
Until next time,
P.S. Have a teen heading off to (or already in) college? If you’re looking for practical or just plain fun gifts for your college student but you’re not sure what they need or want, check out our ultimate college student gift guide!
It’s full of items like dorm decor and storage ideas that I have found useful for my 2 daughters, who now attend 2 different universities and since I’m a professional organizer, I’ve added lots of ways to make their dorm as organized and efficient as possible, too! 🙂
Thank you so much for this post we came home and have been struggling with the ice packs trying to keep in place so of course decided to Google for some help and your post appeared I used my son’s soccer socks and is working great
I’m so glad it worked for him! It helped all 3 of my kids, too! 🙂
I just had two kids get all 4 wisdom teeth out on the same day this week, and I am so happy to have found this post before the big day. The sock trick is genius, and I will be recommending it to everyone! It positions the ice packs perfectly and is totally hands free. Seriously- so smart! Thanks for sharing it!
You’re welcome, Sarah! I’m glad it worked for your kids as well as it did for mine! 😊
Such a brilliant idea! Thank you so much for sharing
You’re welcome. Hope it helped!
Thank you! This saved us!!! What a great idea. Thank you for sharing!!
You’re welcome! Glad it worked for you! ?
This is wonderful! My daughter is having her wisdom teeth removed next week and I was wondering how to handle the frequent icing. Google led me to your post and I’m so glad! Also, it’s good to hear that your kids handled the surgery well, this is my first child to have the surgery and I’m a little anxious about it.
Hi Kim! My kids’ surgeon recommended to keep the ice on for 15 minutes then off for 15 minutes the 1st day to help with pain and swelling. That’s why it was helpful to have multiple sets. One could be used while the other was in the freezer. Just follow your doctor’s advice. And btw, since I wrote this post, my youngest had his out, too, with no problems either! Your daughter will be fine (& you will, too, mom!) ?
HI Pam,
My daughter is getting her wisdom teeth removed next Friday. The question I have is how to make the ice packs. Am I just mixing the water and alcohol in a baggie and putting them in the freezer?
Thank you for any tips you posted!!!
Mix the water and alcohol & pour it into a snack-size bag & then seal that bag inside a sandwich-size bag in case of leakage. Then pop it in the freezer to be ready to to put in the socks. Good luck to your daughter! ?
Hello Pam! Thank you SO very much for this genius idea. I’m a nervous wreck and your idea is fantastic! You have helped me more than you know. God bless you. 🙂
You’re welcome, Lisa! All 3 of my kids have used this with great success. Good luck with your procedure ☺️
Nothing has worked for my daughters small face so I came across this and it works!! its almost Christmas time and she is using her Christmas socks to be festive! 🙂 Thank you!
I’m so glad it worked for her! ?
Thank you! My daughter having extractions today and I came upon your post! This is brilliant! Going up to laundry room to find some stray socks right now! Oral surgeon in 2 hours! Thanks again!!!!
You’re welcome! My 3rd (& final!!!) kid just had his out last week. He’s doing great with hardly any swelling & was back to normal after 3 days. These packs worked great for all 3! Speedy recovery for your daughter! ?
I’m having all four of my impacted wisdom teeth removed in 3 days and I was racking my brain trying to figure out how I’d ice both sides of my face at once, so this is brilliant!
It works great! Good luck! 🙂
As a computer guy, I “engineer solutions” to problems for a living. Yet after finally getting my wisdom teeth removed I was at a loss for how to keep an ice pack on my face using my available tools. This is a prime example of how the collective knowledge of the internet can turn one person’s problem into childsplay. A definite “elementary my dear Watson” moment for me. Thanks for sharing Pam.
Hi Matt! I’m so glad the ice packs worked for you, too! 🙂