If you’ve had a tooth extraction, you may have heard the warnings about preventing a painful condition called dry socket. In fact, many people who have had teeth removed will caringly remind you not to use a straw during your healing process to help avoid it. But what is dry socket, and what else should you do to protect yourself from it happening to you?
What is Dry Socket
When your tooth is removed, there is an empty space in your mouth left behind known as the socket. This is where the tooth once sat. After extraction, this site must close back up to keep your gums and bone safe. Only then can your dentist replace the tooth (if necessary).
At first, your socket will bleed, but after a few hours post extraction it will begin to form a scab or blood clot. This keeps the site safe from debris and helps usher along the healing process. Unfortunately, sometimes the clot can become dislodged, exposing the opening to bacteria and food particles that could cause a painful and dangerous infection. Worse yet, it can be extremely uncomfortable when the wound reopens even if it doesn’t become infected. This is known as dry socket.
Preventing Dry Socket
Now that you know what dry socket is, it’s easy to see why you’d want to prevent it. Unfortunately, while there are no guarantees, there is plenty you can do to reduce your risk of your clot falling out prematurely. Here are some pointers to keep it in place until it’s ready to come out on its own:
- Don’t use a straw until your dentist gives you the green light. Straws can apply pressure to your mouth, causing the clot in your socket to come loose.
- Don’t smoke or use tobacco products, as these can thin your blood and slow your healing. It can also expose your extraction site to dangerous bacteria.
- Do not clean your extraction site for the first 24 hours. You can still brush your teeth and floss but go around the socket. After the first 24 hours, you can swish the area gently with warm salt water or mouthwash but do not touch it.
- Do not play with the site with your fingers or tongue. Do not try to remove or pull on any stitches or sutures at the site.
- Be careful with what you eat. Avoid anything crunchy, sticky, or chewy for several days, and chew any food on the opposite side of your mouth if necessary.
If you do lose your clot prematurely, or if your extraction site gets worse instead of better, your dentist can help, so be sure to contact them at once for help. Dry socket can and should be treated urgently to help reduce pain and keep your wound free of bacteria and other dangerous debris.
About Dr. Franzen
Dr. Barry Franzen is a well-known expert on dental implants, even lecturing extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He has been recognized by the Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI) at their winter meeting in New York at NYU and is a Fellow Member of the ICOI.
Dr. Franzen was chosen by his peers as one of Milwaukee Magazine’s Top Dentists in 2003, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2021, and 204, and has been featured in America’s Top Dentists and Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Magazine.
If you need a tooth extraction for dental implants or any other reason, schedule a consultation with Milwaukee Dental Implants by visiting our website or calling us today at 414-543-5432