In the days following a tooth extraction, a dry socket is an unpleasant but easily curable dental emergency in Parkland, FL. A dentist is required for follow-up care for this issue.
When your mouth heals from getting a tooth taken out, a blood clot develops over the extraction site. On the other hand, a dry socket (alveolar osteitis) occurs when the blood clot gets dislodged or never forms appropriately, exposing the nerve beneath your gum to germs, food particles, fluid, and air.
Drinking through a straw, spitting a lot, or rinsing a lot could increase the likelihood of developing a dry socket. Luckily, this is not a common disease. Let us take a closer look at the symptoms and treatment options for the same.
The Treatment Plans And Symptoms Of Dry Socket
When a dry socket occurs, it typically occurs two to five days after the extraction and can cause severe pain and infection that may last for five or six days. Symptoms of a dry socket could involve the following:
- Sharp, throbbing, dull, or throbbing pain at the removal site that can get worse and radiate to the ear
- Bad breath
- An unpleasant taste or scent in your mouth
- Arid-appearing hole at the extraction location
- Where the tooth was extracted, white bone emerged instead of a black blood clot.
Treatment for the Dry Socket
Consider using ibuprofen (available over-the-counter) to alleviate pain or discomfort. That being said, your dentist might suggest medication if over-the-counter remedies are ineffective in relieving the pain.
Your dentist will clean the tooth socket and extract any debris from the hole during your appointment. After that, the dentist will fill the cavity and encourage healing by using a medicinal dressing or a particular paste. As the socket begins to heal and the discomfort comes down, you may need to go back to the dentist for another dressing change.
In order to prevent an infection, you might be given antibiotics. Furthermore, the dentist might suggest applying a specific mouthwash or salt water rinse each day at home.
Preventing Dry Socket
It is suggested that you stay away from smoking for one or more days after the procedure since smoking is a common contributor to the development of dry sockets.
Since birth control pills contain estrogen, which may interact with blood clotting, your dentist may have to pull your tooth on a day when your hormone level is at its lowest.
Do not spit or sip through a straw for the initial few days after your tooth extraction operation. Furthermore, rinse your mouth just as regularly as your dentist suggests and only with great care. See your dentist for any required follow-up appointments.
