What is a Dry Socket?
A dry socket is a very painful post extraction occurrence. It is called a dry socket because the normal blood clot has dissolved from bacteria, and the bone in the socket is exposed. An extraction usually stops hurting in about 3 days, and then gets better and better. However, if you develop a dry socket, any time from the third until even the fourteenth day, the socket begins to hurt badly. There is always a bad taste and odor after any extraction, but with a dry socket, it is worse.
How Do You Fix a Dry Socket?
The treatment is for the dentist to carefully clean the socket and pack it with a pain relieving paste daily until the pain abates ( it usually takes four to seven days). Obviously, you do not want a dry socket!
What causes a dry socket?
There are several potential factors which have been observed, that increase the chances of a dry socket.
- The socket is in the lower jaw. (the lower jaw has more dry sockets than the upper jaw because of less circulation)
- The more difficult the extraction
- A surgical extraction where drilling on the bone and roots is necessary
- The patient does not follow the post-op instructions
- Women taking birth control pills
- Smoking
- A history of dry sockets
All of the factors listed above make it more likely to develop a dry socket after an extraction. Unfortunately, antibiotics do not help. A dry socket is a local infection in the bone, but there is little circulation to the area, so the body cannot clear the infection normally. With little circulation, antibiotics do not get to the infection as well. The purpose of treatment is simply to clean the socket and soothe the pain, while the body slowly heals the infection and begins to cover the exposed bone. It is a very unfortunate, frustrating, drawn out, and painful situation. However, avoiding the risks listed above will help reduce the likelihood of developing a dry socket.