Dry Socket??

Question

I've heard that they are excruciating. I'm totally freaked about getting one. I followed my dentist instructions and rinse with salt water after meals and smoking. How can I tell if I'm getting one? I had one lower molar extracted 1-31-07. What should my clot look like?

Answer 1

If you've followed the instructions and your on day 4 now, your in the clear. The clot has formed and you should be able to resume your normal diet with the exception of hard crunchy foods. You just need to "baby" the socket and avoid foods that could be potentially damaging. It will take several weeks or up to a few months for the tissue to completely fill in. But in a few weeks you can return to the harder foods. Just use caution in your diet for now. As for smoking, carbonated drinks and straws you can use them now if you like. But do continue to use the warm salt water rinses and exercise your jaw to help relieve the soreness in the muscle. As for the dry socket, it's when the clot breaks loose and leaves the bone exposed to air, saliva and elements. If you had a dry socket you wouldn't be here asking if you had one, you'd be at the dentist office in utter pain. I've had to pack too many off for patients on the weekends, so trust me on that one. Good luck and I hope I was of some help.

Avoid the use of peroxide even in the diluted state, you don't want to disturb the clot that's formed.

Answer 2

Never ever ever bother a blood clot. But a dry socket will send you to the floor! I had one three weeks ago when a wisdom was pulled. Dont suck through straws, try not to chew on that side, dont eat chewy foods, dont ice your face more than two days and Do use warm salt water or hot if you can take it. Also peroxicide(.5%) with warm water works. But if yournt crying now then you havent developed a dry socket. They come along with a fever, a swollen face and pain beyond pain! Hint: It makes delivering a baby easy!!!

Answer 3

Dry socket usually happens within the first 24-48 hours after extraction, so I think you're out of the woods.

The clot can either be dark red from blood or it can look kind of yellowish (like pus...but it's not).

Answer 4

You would be in Pain before you got home and for the next 5 days

A Dr Yell did one to my wife

Answer 5

Well I'm not sure how to tell in advance, but I've always heard that if you have one, you WILL know it. And if you really don't want to get one, don't smoke until your mouth has healed. You aren't supposed to do anything that creates suction (drinking through a straw, smoking).