After getting your wisdom teeth removed by a dentist or oral surgeon, there is a small chance that you can develop dry sockets. To help educate you about dry sockets, we are answering patients’ frequently asked questions.
Q: What is a dry socket?
A: Also known as Alveolar Osteitis, dry socket is the inflammation of the alveolar bone that occurs where the blood clot fails to form after getting a tooth removed.
Q: What are the most common symptoms of a dry socket?
A: The most common symptoms of a dry socket include: throbbing pain and aches in the area of the socket; pain near the ear, eye, temple, and neck; bad breath or bad taste in your mouth.
Q: Who is most prone to receiving a dry socket?
A: You are more likely to get dry sockets if you:
- Smoke
- Have bad oral hygiene
- Have a pre-existing infection in your mouth
- Received greater trauma during the extraction surgery
- Take birth control pills
- Take medications given to you by your oral surgeon
- Avoid drinking through a straw 48-36 hours post-surgery
- Avoid smoking
- Avoid consuming hot fluids 1-2 days post extraction
- Drink cold fluids as they facilitate the formation of clots and they prevent disintegration
Q: What can I do to prevent a dry socket?
While developing a dry socket is unpleasant, it is easily treatable. Treatment by Dr. Davis usually includes cleaning and packing the infected area. In addition, he may need to prescribe you antibiotics as a preventative measure.
If you think you have developed a dry socket from your tooth removal, please do not hesitate to contact Davis Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center in Raleigh, NC at 919-488-2194.