FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE!
Skip to main content

How to Avoid Dry Sockets

You might need a tooth extraction if you need a wisdom tooth removed, have suffered a traumatic dental injury, or are dealing with a case of advanced tooth decay. For most patients, recovering from a tooth extraction is simple and straightforward.

One of the common complications suffered by patients after a tooth extraction, dry socket, can be prevented with active care. At Chester Family Dentistry of Warren, Ohio, our providers inform our new and existing patients from around the Trumbull County area about how to correctly care for a post-extraction site.

By following the instructions you’re given for post-extraction care, you can help your gums heal and prevent dry socket.

Understanding dry socket

Your gums contain sockets that surround and hold each of your teeth, allowing your tooth roots to anchor in your jaw bone. After a tooth extraction, the empty socket needs to be properly cared for in order to avoid painful complications like dry socket.

For healthy healing, an empty socket should form a blood clot. While your socket heals, this blood clot protects your jaw bone and underlying nerves. This gives your body a chance to create new bone and gum tissue, filling in the empty space as the blood clot naturally dissolves over time.

If this blot clot doesn’t develop, you could suffer from dry socket. Due to the number of nerves in your jaw bone around your teeth sockets, dry socket can be very painful. Infection can also develop as a result of food getting trapped in the wound in your empty socket.

Caring for your socket after your procedure

During your extraction procedure, your provider uses antibacterial and antiseptic gels and solutions to protect the treatment area. After your surgery, we might prescribe antibiotics. You leave with a medicated dressing.

In the days after your extraction procedure, you need to take time to practice proper self-care. Take a day off of work to give your body time to rest. Avoid intense physical activity and exercise for a day or two, to give the blood clot a chance to form.

When you brush and floss your teeth after extraction surgery, be gentle when working around the extraction site. After the first few days, rinsing your mouth gently with warm salt water or an antibacterial mouthwash might be advised.

Helping yourself heal

After your procedure, you might need to use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications to control pain and swelling. Cold compresses on your cheek can also help with swelling and discomfort for the first day. After that, switch to warm compresses.

Eat soft or liquid food the day of your surgery, and make sure to stay hydrated right after your procedure. Until the extraction site is fully healed, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth. Skip straws until you’re fully healed, too, as suction can cause the forming blood clot to become dislodged from the extraction site.

Nicotine and other harmful substances in tobacco can delay healing after your extraction surgery, so you’ll need to avoid smoking, vaping, or using any tobacco products for the first 48-72 hours. This is a good time to try to quit for good!

If you do notice symptoms of dry socket, you’re most likely to do so within the first three days after your surgery. If you start to develop severe pain in the days following your extraction, get in touch with Chester Family Dentistry right away. We can check out the area and help address a potential case of dry socket.

To inquire about oral surgery and post-surgery care, contact the team at Chester Family Dentistry today. You can schedule an appointment at our Warren, Ohio office over the phone, or book online now.

You Might Also Enjoy...

 I'm At Risk for Oral Cancer — What Should I Do?

I'm At Risk for Oral Cancer — What Should I Do?

Like most cancers, you have a good chance of treating oral cancer when it’s caught early, but it’s even better to take steps to prevent the cancer from developing in the first place. Here are the best ways to prevent oral cancer.

How to Prevent Another Root Canal

Root canals are the best treatment for infections on the inside of a tooth, and they can prevent bigger complications in the future. But what can you do to avoid a root canal entirely? Find the answers here.

Does Sleep Apnea Cause Headaches?

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as a headache… except for a headache every morning. Your morning headaches could be the result of sleep apnea. Keep reading to learn about the link between the two and how we can help.

How to Prevent Tooth Loss as You Age

Getting older doesn’t mean losing your teeth. Even though natural changes to your oral health are inevitable, you can learn the steps to maintain healthy teeth and prevent tooth loss as you age.
When to Choose Dental Implants Over Dentures

When to Choose Dental Implants Over Dentures

You have several options when you need to replace missing teeth. Dentures and dental implants are two common solutions. But which one should you choose? When are implants a better choice than dentures?