Dry socket after tooth extraction

brucethefish

Hi

Does anyone know anything about dry socket after a tooth extraction? I had a tooth out last Wednesday and it isn’t looking good...

Lorian

If its dry it means the blood clot has gone and it slows down the healing process a bit, and you can infection in the socket more easily. If its very red or hurts a lot its worth a trip to the dentist.

Have you been swilling with salty water? If not you should. chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash can be an alternative.

please note I'm not a dentist just a target for dental practice.

No doubt a dentist will be along in a moment.....

brucethefish

Luckily im going to have a scale and polish tomorrow morning so can get it looked at then.

The gum around it is a bit red, and I can see a bit of white in the middle...

Lorian

The white is the exposed bone, which the clot normally protects. When I've lost the clot in the past it caused the healing process to go back a week or 10 days. Ask your dentist if Corsadyl Gel would be appropriate - it lingers and can block the hole a little better than the fluid. (boots sell it).

clairec79

You say it's not looking good - does it hurt more than it did before you had the tooth out?

Only had dry socket once (and then followed it with ludwig's angina) - was seriously considering head amputation at one point

jenniewb

I've had two tooth extractions, one went fine (wisdom tooth which was causing problems) the other was removed due to it cracking on a "food" I'd tried to eat.
The second time the tooth was removed I had dry socket (I didn't the first time). Both times I was careful with rinsing with salt water and took the antibiotics I'd been prescribed in fact I was possibly more careful with the second tooth because I'd suffered an infection that wouldn't react to antibiotics (hence it being removed). It was the second tooth that ended up with dry socket. The dentist told me that sometimes this happens regardless of what you do to prevent it (namely following the instructions given to the point of obsession).


It wasn't great but it did react very quickly to the medication I was given, and was just a case of it needing longer to heal. I can't remember exactly what I had to do to get over it but the fact that I didn't but yet do remember the pain and irritation prior to it being extracted to me says the dry socket wasn't much of an issue in comparison. But to say that it can happen even if you have followed the instructions, my Dentist told me this and I wanted to say this because it's not about blaming yourself every time when it comes to dry socket, it might not have been something you could have prevented.


I will say though that aside from following the instructions given by your Dentist, make sure you try to keep your health (immune system) running as well as you can. This means making sure you are not generally run down, that you are sleeping well and that you are keeping hydrated enough. If you feel a cold coming on, take extra care and maybe up whatever nutrition you feel you need to help your body fight that, if your overall health is strong it can help it fight things like dry socket if they happen.

brucethefish

THanks for the replies everyone. It’s keeing me awake now, can’t wait to get in the dentist to find out. Im going away on Xmas eve, just need it sorted by then if possible!

Toothsmith

brucethefish wrote: »

THanks for the replies everyone. It’s keeing me awake now, can’t wait to get in the dentist to find out. Im going away on Xmas eve, just need it sorted by then if possible!

There's not really a 'magic wand' that can make dry sockets go away. They're not particularly dangerous, and they do sort themselves out - but they can be really painful whilst they are there.

The dentist will have a dressing he/she could put in the socket that will relieve it a bit - but I would still take some painkillers with you and carry on your salty mouthwashes until it's better.

brucethefish

They did put some dressing in which dissolves. To be fair it isnt too painful now, just more annoying than anything. Will it be sore whilst flying?

Toothsmith

Shouldn't be. It's not a pain caused by pressure.

jenniewb

If it's any help, my dry socket cleared very quickly once a dressing was applied, as in a few days fast- and I have an impaired immune system.


I don't know what you have been suggested by your Dentist (so please check!) but I was able to take pain killers whilst it healed properly and that did help.