How to treat dry sockets at home
Dry socket is severe pain due to inflammation of the jawbone after tooth extraction. This condition generally appears 1–3 days after having a tooth extracted, and lasts for 7–10 days
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| Dry Sockets, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Complications |
Normally, the empty space or socket in a tooth that has been extracted will be covered with a blood clot. The function of this blood clot is to protect the bones and nerves before they are covered by new tissue.
In a dry socket, the blood clot does not form or disappear before the tooth extraction wound closes. As a result, the bones and nerves are exposed to air, fluids or food that enters the mouth.
Bones and nerves that are exposed to the outside environment can become inflamed, causing severe pain. If left untreated, complications after tooth extraction can trigger infection.
Dry Socket Causes and Risk Factors
Dry socket or alveolar osteitis occurs when the blood clotting process in the extracted tooth area is disrupted. As a result, the bones and nerves in the area are not covered and are easily contaminated by the outside environment.
It is not known exactly what causes the disturbance. However, there are several factors that can increase the risk of dry socket, namely:
- Over 30 years old
- Female gender
- Smoke
- Taking birth control pills
- Not maintaining proper dental and oral hygiene
- Undergoing wisdom tooth extraction
- Experiencing excessive injury at the location of the tooth extraction due to teeth that are difficult to extract
- Suffering from an infection in the mouth before or during tooth extraction
- Have experienced dry socket after previous tooth extraction
Symptoms of Dry Sockets
Dry socket sufferers generally experience symptoms a few days after having a tooth extracted. Symptoms can be mild, but are more often severe. Some of the symptoms that can be experienced are:
- Pain that appears after 1-3 days after tooth extraction
- Pain that radiates to the ear, eye, neck or head
- Bad breath
- Bad taste in mouth
- Swollen and red gums
- Loss of all or part of the blood clot in the tooth cavity that has been extracted
- The bone in the tooth extraction cavity is visible
- Mild fever
When to see a doctor
Pain and discomfort after tooth extraction is normal. However, severe pain that lasts several days after tooth extraction should be seen by a doctor immediately, especially if the pain gets worse and does not subside despite taking pain relievers.
You also need to see a doctor immediately if you feel bad breath or an unpleasant taste in your mouth. This condition can be a sign of infection in the mouth.
Diagnostics of Dry Sockets
The doctor will begin the diagnosis by conducting questions and answers about the symptoms experienced by the patient, the patient's medical history, and the history of dental treatment that the patient has undergone. The doctor will also examine the area of the extracted tooth.
The doctor can perform other tests if a more serious disease is suspected, for example a bone infection (osteomyelitis) or if there is part of the tooth root left. The examination carried out is a panoramic X-ray of the teeth, to see more clearly the condition of the inside of the mouth.
Treatment of Dry Sockets
Dry socket treatment aims to relieve symptoms of pain that arise and treat the dry socket itself. Below are the stages of treatment performed by dentists for sufferers of dry socket:
- Clean up food residue left in the cavity of the extracted tooth area
- Coating the socket with a medicated paste or gel, to relieve pain and protect exposed bone
- Prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen or mefenamic acid) if there is still pain, and antibiotics if there is a bacterial infection
During the dry socket healing process, further care needs to be carried out independently at home. The trick is to rinse your mouth slowly using salt water or mouthwash prescribed by a doctor. In addition to cleaning up leftover food that has accumulated in the socket, this method can speed up healing.
Patients are also advised to compress the area of the face that is experiencing symptoms of dry socket with ice wrapped in a towel, to relieve pain.
The healing process usually takes 7–10 days. During the recovery period, doctors recommend patients to:
- Quit smoking
- Drink lots of water
- Avoid soft drinks and hot drinks
- Brush your teeth slowly, especially around the extracted tooth socket area
Dry Socket Complications
Dry socket rarely causes complications. However, if left untreated, dry socket can cause complications in the form of:
- The pain is so severe that it interferes with daily activities
- Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
- Gum infection (periodontitis)
- Tooth abscess
Dry Socket Prevention
Prevention of dry socket can be done before undergoing tooth extraction, namely by stopping smoking or using other tobacco products.
Patients also need to tell the doctor if they are taking birth control pills or drugs that cause blood clotting disorders.
Prevention of dry socket can also be done after the teeth are extracted, including by taking the steps below:
- Avoid foods that are too hard, hot, spicy, or hard to chew for a few days
- Don't do sports that are too heavy
- Not smoking, for at least 48 hours after tooth extraction
- Gargle slowly and as much as the doctor recommends
- Do not drink through a straw or spit for several days
- Take control of the dentist to monitor the condition of the teeth that have been extracted
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