in dentistry what is a dry socket?

Question

I had a tooth pulled and was told no heavy lifting because it could cause a dry socket where the tooth use to be

Answer 1

"In a patient with a dry socket, blood does not fill up the extraction socket or the blood clot is lost. The gums can not grow over the extraction socket because there's nothing to grow over and the hole remains open. This opening causes a constant dull throbbing pain and the patient can often have a foul smelling breath and bad taste in the mouth. Ear pain is another possible dry socket symptom."

Read more on the link.

Answer 2

Dry sockets occur when the blood clot in the wound breaks down too early (fibrinolysis) before healing can become established. It usually becomes apparent about 2-3 days post-op. Analgesics are of limited use, and a sedative dressing from the dentist is your best solution. It is not an infection, and therefore antibiotics do not help cure it, nor are they of an use as a possible preventive measure.
The risk factors and reasoning are:
1. smokers (poorer blood supply and immune function);
2. difficult extractions (typically lower wisdom teeth);
3. lower extractions (poorer blood supply);
I have never heard that lifting heavy objects could be a factor. Even if true, it certainly doesn't have any relation to a vacuum caused in the jaw.
In studies, the only help in preventing them is the use of a chlorhexidine mouthwash prior to the extraction, and continuing for 3 days post-op. This would suggest an infective agent is part of the problem, but the truth is that an exact cause is unknown.

Answer 3

A dry socket is the worst damn pain imaginable in the mouth. Granted, getting your Wisdom teeth cut out hurts. But a dry socket, it feels like a pain the goes clear up to your ear, like an ear infection. I was told that spitting, using a straw to drink with, or smoking all could contribute to a blood clot. Evidently, when your gauze packing falls out too soon after the extraction because you passed out after taking a painkiller, it can cause it as well.

Answer 4

JS EXPLAINED IN HER POST, A DRY SOCKET IS WHEN THE CLOT FROM AN EXTRACTED SITE HAS BEEN LOST. THE RESULT IS THAT THE BONE UNDERNEATH BEGINS TO BE DRY, AND THIS HURTS. THERE ARE VARIOUS MEDICAMENTS THAT MAY BE PLACED IN DRY SOCKET AREA TO SOOTHE THE. SITE. BY LIFTING A HEAVY OBJECT YOU MAY CAUSE A VACUUM INSIDE THE MOUTH AND THIS MAY PREVENT A CLOT FROM FORMING.

Answer 5

dry socket is when you lose the clot out of the extraction site and you get an infection