Tooth Extractions

How do you prevent dry socket after tooth extraction?

When you have a tooth extracted, you develop a blood clot shortly after the surgery to begin the healing process. If this blood clot becomes dislodged before your mouth has fully healed, it can expose the bone and cause pain, called dry socket.

Tips For Preventing Dry Socket

1. Avoid straws or anything that creates a suction movement of air and cheek muscles.
2. Don’t smoke tobacco or vape, as fast inhalation can dislodge your blood clot. Also, the chemicals in these products can prevent healing or cause an infection. We strongly encourage you to wait until more than one week after extraction.
3. Eat soft foods like applesauce, yogurt, and mashed potatoes for the first day or two.
4. Ask us about any medicines you take to ensure they don’t negatively impact the healing process.
5. Practice proper oral hygiene to keep your mouth clean and use an antibacterial mouthwash.
6. Follow your doctor’s instructions on proper oral care to improve recovery time.

Does dry socket heal on its own?

Yes, typically, dry socket will heal on its own. We understand that dry socket can be extremely painful and poses an elevated risk of infection, potentially prolonging the healing process.

Our office in Pinson, AL is equipped to help alleviate this discomfort. We can provide a medicated gauze designed to reduce pain in the affected socket. Dry sockets will recover naturally as long as proper care instructions are followed and infection is avoided.

What causes the need for tooth extraction?

Tooth extraction is often used as a last resort when other treatments cannot save the tooth or when it poses a risk to your overall oral health.

• Severe Decay: When a tooth is too decayed or damaged to be repaired with a filling, crown, or other treatment.
• Advanced Gum Disease: If periodontal disease has caused your teeth to loosen, extraction may be the best option to prevent infection spread.
• Impacted Teeth: Teeth trapped in the jawbone or gums and cannot emerge normally need to be removed to prevent pain, overcrowding, and infection.
• Orthodontic Treatment: Sometimes, you need to create space for other teeth to move into place properly, requiring a tooth extraction.
• Infection Risk: If a tooth is at high risk of infection, such as in patients undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplants who have compromised immune systems, extraction might be advised.
• Fractured Teeth: Teeth that are broken or cracked, especially below the gum line, may require extraction if they cannot be saved by other means.

Each case is unique, and the decision to extract a tooth takes into account both the tooth’s condition and your oral health. Contact us today with questions!