While some pain is to be expected following the removal of any teeth, dry socket symptoms typically include severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction. Other symptoms include:
- Pain radiating from the socket outward – toward the eye, ear, neck or temple on that side of the face
- Visible bone in the socket
- Bad breath or a foul smell or taste in the mouth
If patients experience any of these symptoms, they should contact their oral and maxillofacial surgeon in an effort to manage this discomfort.
How to Minimize the Risk of Dry Socket
In order to properly recover from a tooth extraction, it is essential to follow your OMS’s instructions, from what to do before surgery to what to eat during recovery from wisdom tooth extraction. To lower the risk of dry socket and avoid those painful dry socket symptoms:
- Remember to always follow your OMS’s postoperative instructions.
- Stop smoking before the extraction and avoid tobacco use during recovery.
- Discuss any medications with the oral and maxillofacial surgeon to account for any that might interfere with clotting.
- Avoid vigorously rinsing the mouth, and avoid brushing around the extraction site for at least 24 hours.
- Avoid using straws during the first 24-48 hours after extraction, as the sucking action can dislodge a clot.
Although dry socket is a common worry of patients having impacted wisdom teeth removed, these steps should be followed after any tooth extraction to avoid dry socket.
Article Courtesy of AAOMS, https://myoms.org/
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