I had my wisdom tooth removed 4 days ago. Hole has a foul smell. How do I know if it is infected?

Answer 1

Call the oral surgeon. I've never heard of that.

Answer 2

if it smells bad, it is most likely infected.

EXTRACTIONS

Extractions have to be done well. Normally they pull a tooth out, stick a piece of gauze in there and say bite on it. After the tooth is removed, the socket has to be completely cleaned so that complete healing can occur. If tissue such as torn pieces of ligaments or periosteum is left in the socket and covers the bone, the bone will tend to heal over the top, leaving a hole in the bone, and new bone cannot form. This hole can persist for the rest of the patient's life. It is a chronic infection that is called an alveolar cavitational osteopathosis or cavitation. This means that there is an infected cavity in the bone. These bone infections are only now being seriously researched. If they are fairly easy to prevent by proper socket cleaning, why is this not being done? But many if not most dentists have never heard of cavitations.


CAVITATIONS

A cavitation is an unhealed hole in the jawbone caused by an extracted tooth [or a root canal or an injury to a tooth]. Since wisdom teeth are the most commonly extracted teeth, most cavitations are found in the wisdom tooth sites. Please see the graphic and photo below to get a glimpse of what may be in your mouth and the effects it is having. The photo and diagram demonstrate the destructive and pathologic consequence of a routine tooth extraction. Dentists are taught in dental school that once they pull a tooth, the patient's body heals the resulting hole in the jawbone. However, approximately 95% of all tooth extractions result in a pathologic defect called a cavitation. The tooth is attached to the jawbone by a periodontal ligament which is comprised of "jillions" of microscopic fibers. One end of each fiber is attached to the jawbone and the other end of the fiber is attached to the tooth root. When a tooth is extracted, the fibers break midway between the root and the bone. This leaves the socket (the area where the root was anchored in the bone) coated with periodontal ligament fibers.

There are specialized cells in the bone called osteoblasts. Osteoblasts make new bone. The word "osteoblast" means bone former. They are active during growth and maintenance. However, the periodontal ligament prevents the osteoblasts from filling in the tooth socket with bone since the periodontal ligament fibers lining the socket act as a barrier beyond which the osteoblasts cannot form bone. In other words, an osteoblast "sees" a tooth when it "sees" periodontal ligament fibers. Since there are billions of bacteria in the mouth, they easily get into the open tooth socket. Since the bone is unable to fill in the defect of the socket, the newly formed "cavitation" is now infected. Since there is no blood supply to the "cavitation" it is called "ischemic" or "avascular" (without a blood supply). This results in necrosis (tissue death). Hence we call a cavitation an unhealed, chronically infected, avascular, necrotic hole in the bone. The defect acts to an acupuncture meridian the same way a dead tooth (or root canal tooth) acts. It causes an interference field on the meridian which can impair the function and health of other tissues, organs and structures on the meridian. Significantly, the bacteria in the cavitation also produce the same deadly toxins that are produced by the bacteria in root canals (see Root Canals). These toxins are thio-ethers (most toxic organic substance known to man), thio-ethanols, and mercaptans. They have been found in the tumors in women with breast cancer.

Answer 3

The classic sign of a dry socket is a foul smell 4-5 days after the extraction. If the pain has not started yet, you are lucky. Go see the dentist or surgeon who removed your tooth to get it checked and treated.

Answer 4

You might have dry socket and I have heard that clove oil helps with that. But you should always check with your dentist first and he/she may be able to give you some. Definately keep it clean is there pain associated? Dry socket hurts, so I hear. Either way, go back to your dentist, you don't want the infection to move into your jaw bone. That can be a real nightmare to treat. I had a girlfriend that had dry socket, never got it checked out and it took months for the infection to go way. Not something to mess around with at all. Be safe, see your doc! Good luck!

Answer 5

My wisdom teeth got infected when i had them removed, and yes the first symptom was very foul breath. Next you will taste a very salty substance oozing from the holes. If it gets even worse you will be able to see a yellow tinge in your saliva. Just keep gargling your salt water and watch it closely. Hope it helped!

Answer 6

The foul smell is an infection starting. You need to rinse your nouth out with salt water and go get antibiotics from your oral surgeon.

Answer 7

If it's infected,you gonna have pain soon.You may simply have a food trap there.Try gargling with some salt water.Mix half a table spoon salt with big glass of warm water and gargle with it.You can also use Listerine.If not,go to your dentist,they will clean it for you.Don't try to pick on it yourself.

Answer 8

I don't think you should be experiencing a foul smell. I suggest you call your dentist ASAP.

Answer 9

IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IN STUCK IN THE HEALING SOCKET. NORMALLY THERE IS NEVER A BAD SMELL WITH HEALING.

Answer 10

mabye there is some food stuck in the hole thats rotting