What Are the Symptoms of a Dry Socket?

What is Dry Socket?

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is a painful dental condition that can occur after you have a permanent adult tooth extracted. Dry socket is the most common complication following tooth extractions such as the removal of impacted wisdom teeth. If you develop dry socket, the pain usually begins three to four days after your tooth is removed.

Normally, a blood clot forms at the site of a tooth extraction. This blood clot serves as a protective layer over the underlying bone and nerve endings in the empty tooth socket. The clot also provides the foundation for the growth of new bone and for the development of soft tissue over the clot.

Dry socket occurs when the blood clot at the site of the tooth extraction has been dislodged or has dissolved before the wound has healed. Exposure of the underlying bone and nerves results in intense pain, not only in the socket but also along the nerves radiating to the side of your face.

Over-the-counter medications alone won’t be enough to treat dry socket pain. Your dentist or oral surgeon will need to provide you with the treatments necessary to relieve your pain and promote healing.

Contact Cambridge City Dental Today if You Think You Are Experiencing a Dry Socket in Perth, Western Australia!

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What Are the Symptoms of Dry Socket?

Signs and symptoms of dry socket may include:

• Severe pain within a few days after a tooth extraction.

• Partial or total loss of the blood clot at the tooth extraction site, which you may notice as an empty-looking (dry) socket.

• Visible bone in the socket.

• Pain that radiates from the socket to your ear, eye, temple or neck on the same side of your face as the extraction.

• Bad breath or a foul odour coming from your mouth.

• Unpleasant taste in your mouth.

• Swollen lymph nodes around your jaw or neck.

• Slight fever.

When Should I See My Dentist?

A certain degree of pain and discomfort is normal after a tooth extraction. However, you should be able to manage normal pain with the pain reliever prescribed by your dentist or oral surgeon, and the pain should lessen with time.

If you develop new or worsening pain in the days after your tooth extraction, contact your local dentist practice immediately for an emergency dental appointment.

What Causes Dry Socket?

The precise cause of dry socket remains the subject of study. Researchers suspect that several issues may be at play, including:

• Bacterial contamination of the socket.

• Severe bone and tissue trauma at the surgical site due to a difficult extraction.

• Very small fragments of roots or bone remaining in the wound after surgery.

What Factors Can Contribute to Dry Socket?

Factors that can increase your risk of developing dry socket include:

• Smoking and tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes or other forms of tobacco may prevent or slow healing and contaminate the wound site. The act of sucking on a cigarette may physically dislodge the blood clot prematurely.

• Oral contraceptives. High oestrogen levels from oral contraceptives may disrupt normal healing processes and increase the risk of dry socket.

• Improper at-home care. Proper at-home care after a tooth extraction helps promote healing and prevent damage to the wound. Failure to follow guidelines may increase the risk of dry socket.

• Having dry socket in the past. If you’ve had dry socket in the past, you’re more likely to develop it after another extraction.

• Tooth or gum infection. Current or previous infections around the tooth to be extracted increase the risk of dry socket.

• Use of corticosteroids. These types of medications, such as prednisone, may increase your risk of dry socket.

Contact Your Local Dentist

If you suspect you may have a dry socket, give the friendly team at Cambridge City Dental a call on to find out how we can help you.

Talk to our dentists in Perth or book an appointment if you are concerned about a dry socket. We can help!

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