Dental Complications - Dry Socket

On a daily basis our teeth are exposed to various elements, these include: temperature changes, different textures of foods and different types of chemicals, with this in mind, then we have numerous of reasons to care of our teeth, keep them clean and healthy.

A tooth extraction is an oral surgery in which a dead or severely damage tooth is remove from the patients mouth. The surgery by itself could be an unpleasant experience; but having a post-surgery complication will make the experience worst.

Dry Socket, who is at Risk?

Having a tooth extraction can be a traumatic experience, no one likes to have either a drill or forceps inserted into their mouth to pull and remove a decay tooth. Sani Dental Group knows that this dental surgery is not a particularly enjoyable experience; but to make the experience more enjoyable, we offer our patients several Post-Surgery Oral Care tips that will help them heal and achieve better outcomes.

Dental Complications – Dry Socket

After your decaying tooth has been pulled a blood clot forms in the socket to protect the bone and nerves underneath. However, if are in the unfortunate the 2% - 5% bracket who can develop dry socket, then a few days after your tooth has been extracted, you will feel an intense pain that will not go away. This occurs, because the blot clot does not attach correctly to the affected area; this leaves the bone and nerves exposed to air, food, fluid, and anything else that enters the mouth.

FACT: 2% to 5% of people – develop dry socket after a tooth extraction.

Other factors that increase the risk of developing dry socket after having a tooth pulled, is people who:

• Drinking through a straw after having your tooth extracted (risk increase)
• Experience greater than usual trauma after a tooth extraction procedure
• Family History of dental complications
• Have had Wisdom teeth pulled
• Have poor Oral Hygiene
• Rinsing and spitting a lot after having your tooth extracted (risk increase)
• Smoke
• Use Birth Control pills

Dry Socket – Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Dry Socket include:

• Pain from the sockets will reach your ear, eye, temple or neck (same side of the extraction)
• Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site (dry socket)
• Severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction
• Slight fever
• Unpleasant taste in your mouth
• Visible bone in the socket

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms mention and have recently had a tooth extracted, we invite you to visit the dentist. You can contact one of our patient coordinators for further assistance.

How Dry Socket is Treated

If you are experiencing dental pain and have recently had a tooth extracted, we recommend you to take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), over-the counter medication like aspirin or ibuprofen. However, when these over-the counter medication are not strong enough it’s time to visit the dentist.

Once in the dental office, the dentist will either prescribe stronger medication or will anesthetize the area. Once the infected area is numb, the dentist will clean the tooth socket, remove any debris in the hole, and then fill the socket with a special paste to promote healing. It might be necessary to come back to dentist’s office every day to change the healing paste until the socket has fully heal; your dentist will further explain this during the diagnosis.

Keep in mind that only, 2% to 5% of patients who have a tooth extracted, develop dry socket. To prevent or reduce the risk of developing dry socket we recommend you to follow these advices.

Steps to Prevent Dry Socket

There are several factors that can contribute to the increase risk of developing dry socket as we read, but many of these can be easily avoid. If you smoke, avoid cigarettes, cigars, and any other tobacco products for a day or so after your surgery. In addition check with your dentist if any of the medication that you are taking can affect or interfere with normal blood clotting and if you are taking birth control pills, ask your dentist how it can affect the extraction.

For the largest dental clinic in Los Algodones your oral health is our priority. Having a complex oral procedure can be an unpleasant experience, but it might be the only option you have to save your smile. If you recently had a tooth extracted and you notice a complication, we invite you to speak to our professionals, our team can offer you several tips that will help you prevent dry socket or any other dental problems.

Always remember that our certified professionals have a true interest in our patients, our team is capable of helping you with a basic routine teeth check-up to an advanced “complex” dental surgery. We invite you to come to the dental clinic that cares about you, come to Los Algodones and allow our dentist to take care of all your oral needs.

The steps and procedures mentioned in this post are procedures available in the medical field; however, not all these treatments and procedures are perform at Sani Dental Group. To confirm if this procedure is perform at our dental clinics, please contact us directly.