Wisdom teeth extraction is something many people will need during adolescence or even into adulthood. One common side effect of this type of oral procedure is dry socket — when the blood clot that covers the treatment site becomes dislodged and leaves the bone beneath it exposed. Dry socket is painful and can slow healing but knowing the right steps to take can help to ensure that you get out of pain and your recovery gets back on track as soon as possible. Find more information about dry socket after extraction in Chaska below.
What Causes Dry Socket?
A number of things can lead to dislodging the dressing covering the treatment site and causing dry socket. Some of the most common causes include:
- Smoking or drinking through a straw
- Brushing aggressively near the treatment site
- Drinking soda or other carbonated beverages
- Eating hard or crunchy foods which require lots of chewing
- Yawning or otherwise opening your mouth very wide
What to Do Next
It is not hard to tell if you have a dry socket; you will likely feel the pain right away, as the bone in the treatment area is newly exposed. You may be able to see the whitish bone in the area where the blood clot once was. Get in touch with your oral surgeon or dentist right away to have the wound redressed. Over-the-counter pain medication may be helpful for reducing the pain caused by the dry socket; if that is not sufficient, your dentist may prescribe something stronger.
When you visit your dentist for dry socket treatment, they will clean the area and apply a special dressing to cover it back up. You may need to revisit their office every few days to have a new dressing placed — just be sure to follow your dentist’s directions exactly to promote healing and ease discomfort.
Preventing Dry Socket
While you cannot ever completely protect yourself from a dry socket, there are some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that it will happen to you. In the days following your wisdom tooth extraction (or any other extraction, for that matter), keep these tips in mind.
- Avoid smoking and tobacco products altogether for the first few days
- If you take birth control pills, ask your oral surgeon about how that may affect healing
- Do not drink through a straw
- Avoid spitting forcefully
- Visit your dentist as recommended for follow-up visits
To conclude, dry socket is fairly uncommon after wisdom tooth extraction. But If it happens to you or a loved one, keep these facts in mind and you will be back on the road to recovery promptly.
Meet the Practice
Chaska Dental Center offers exceptional dental care — including wisdom teeth extractions in Chaska — for patients of all ages. If you are experiencing dry socket after extraction, do not hesitate to get in touch with your dentist for professional attention. Call them ASAP at (952) 448-4151.
