should i need to smoke a cigarette after having my wisdom teeth extracted, what is the best way to do so?

Question

i have to smoke a cigarette, and i am wondering what is the best way to ensure this not causing dry socket. What about if I secured the openings with gauze and bit down on the gauze while inhaling? I realize there is no way to 100% guaruntee I won't get dry socket by doing this. I also realize smoking is not suggested and I shouldnt do it. I am going to, regardless, because I am stressed and in pain and I'm wondering what the best way to do this is, to atleast attempt NOT to get dry socket in the process?

like i said, i know i SHOULDNT be smoking. I don't understand why someone would answer my question with completely irrelevent information. I didn't ask your opinion on IF i should be smoking, I specifically am curious if there is a SAFER way to do so when I do go to smoke. It has been 24 hours since the extraction, and I plan to have a cigarette. I am just wondering what the best way to go about it would be, not if I should or shouldnt, because that is already obvious, and I know it's not wise to do so, but thank you to those of you who answer the question instead of answering with an opinion, it;s much appreciated.

thanks pico and crazylady

ah victory, thank you for understanding and the advice, i surely will try that approach

Answer 1

That approach worked for me, but I'm scared to death of dry socket. The cigarette always seems to win out though.

Good luck!

Answer 2

The problem of dry socket and cigarette smoking isn't actually the sucking action or the smoke getting in the hole, it's from the chemicals in the cigarette, especially the nicotine, that enter your bloodstream through your lungs.

There was an article in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from a few years ago that spoke about urban legends in dentistry and the use of straws and sucking action in causing dry socket.

The damaging effects of cigarette smoking last for about 8 months and it is primarily from the chemicals making the blood vessels shrink. With smaller blood vessels the cells that heal tissue can't reach the area (and also by the way increases your risk of heart attack because the blood supply to your heart is decreased). The blood supply for the lower jaw comes primarily from one big vessel on each side and it is more easily affected. This is why dry socket almost always only happens in the lower jaw.

So really there is no good way to smoke to avoid dry socket because the bad effects come from the chemicals and not the action. The only way would be to not inhale the cigarette and don't let the smoke or chemicals even be in your mouth. If you don't smoke now, it would decrease your chances of getting dry socket, but you would really need to stop 8 months before your surgery to totally eliminate the effects to allow the tissues to be healthy again.

But the more you smoke the less the blood supply to the area is and the less the healing cells can get there and then the slower the healing is. And then on top of that, with the chemicals from the cigarettes it is like throwing hot ashes from your fireplace into an open wound on your body.

I'm not going to lecture you to stop. But seriously if I was the king of the world, I would outlaw smoking because I have seen first hand how seriously it damages and destroys tissue and it's not even obvious to the smoker.

Answer 3

I was smoking by not always fully closing my lips around the cigarette. Like short, soft drags with a lot of air. You don't create as much suction that way. I kept the gauze in the first time but I didn't even bother after that. Rinse your mouth our right afterwards though. I smoke about a pack a day but I was able to keep it down to 2 cigarettes that first day but each day after I smoked a little more. I didn't have any problems but it did take a long time to fully heal which may have been related to the smoking (don't know for sure)

Answer 4

You're right to guard against dry socket; but, the gauze pack will not really stay in place while you are trying to inhale.

Here's what you do:

Don't drag in the way you normally do; place the cigarette between your lips and (I know this sounds weird) using your tongue as if it were the plunger on a hypodermic needle, draw back *gently*. Sip it, rather than really smoke it.

Smoke slowly and with care, and be sure to follow all the routines your dentist tells you (rinsing with salt water, etc).

Yes, I know there will be people who will give me negative marks for this advice, but, man, they don't know the stress of being in pain and trying to heal up AND wanting a cigarette!

Good luck, and keep your mouth clean as you can.

Answer 5

Smoking will make the pain worse. Trust me, I know from personal experience! And, you really don't want to bite down on gauze, it'll pull your clots out. Also, the nicotine and other chemicals will get into the gauze and into the openings, which will increase your risk of infection and oral cancer. I learned the hard way on the infection bit... My advice is get the patch, and suck on an unlit smoke to get past the oral fixation part you're struggling with.

Answer 6

you really don't want to smoke after you had any extractions. depending on when you had it done... when you have an extraction, you want a clot to form in those areas, smoking,sucking through a straw,etc.. can pull those clots out. if that happens, you will be in the most pain you have ever experienced. wait about 24-48 hours if you can to smoke. you really don't want to experience that if you don't have to. try to keep busy to keep your mind off of it if you can. its harder because you were told not to do it so you want it more. hang in there.

Answer 7

COver the holes made from the extraction, don't open your mouth too much when you let out the smoke either..

Answer 8

DONT SMOKE, IF YOU DO THE PAIN FROM A DRY SOCKET IS 10 TIMES MORE PAINFUL THEN A TOOTHACHE OR AND EXTRACTION.........

Answer 9

just wait the 24 hours

Answer 10

there is a simple answer to that question and it is NO u shouldnt be smokin at all anyway