Tell me about dry socket

[OpheIiaBaIIs]

I had a fractured, decayed upper left 7 molar out at the emergency dental clinic 16 days ago. Seemed to be healing ok - I had a long standing check up appointment with my usual dentist last Tuesday who confirmed this. On Monday though it started to feel a bit tender - I kept an eye on it and it hadn't improved by yesterday so today I've been back to the clinic, and I have a partial dry socket. I'm really upset because I did everything I was supposed to do and was told it was fine a week after the extraction, but here we are Also a bit bemused because I understood it was the most horrific pain in the world, and mine was just a bit tender if touched! Also I thought that after almost two weeks the risk would have passed.

Anyway it's been packed but now I'm worried it'll mean I can't eat roast potatoes on Christmas Day ruin Christmas.

If you've had this, can you tell me whether it healed ok after it was packed? Also, did it need re-packing? What was your pain like after it was treated? And (most importantly given all the money I've spent on once a year treats) could you eat/drink normally?

Had a pretty crap year all in all and Christmas was meant to be a glittery high point, not marred by tooth woes!

Thanks all

talk to your dentist

@NoMorePoliticsPlease I have, I was just asking for personal experiences. He said it can differ from patient to patient so I wondered how others who've had it have dealt with it.

I have no advice but just came on to say I fully understand how distressing dental problems can be. It is very trying and constant worry, especially as it affects the ability to eat and brush your teeth properly.

I had an extraction 13 days ago and it has been an odd one...all sorts of sensations, odd pains, bad tastes and feeling shivery which I have not had before with previous extractions. Despite salt rinses and Corsodyl use.

I had to have an emergency appt too, after to check all was well...which it was although it didn't feel that way and I hoped there was no infection. Things have settled since.

I hope you can get some reassurances on here, but it sounds like you are fine and will be much better by Christmas Day. I hope your mouth is back to normal/fully healed very soon.

My dh had a dry socket and he cried and cried with the pain. He also had shards of bone coming out for a few days.

He had it packed a couple fo times and it healed well quite quickly after that.

Hope yours heals fast!

Can I recommened gengigel? I used it after an extraction, both the gel and the mouthwash, found it really good for healing and gum pain.

Be careful if you're using Corsodyl, it turned my teeth orange and my white fillings have never fully recovered from the staining.

If it's only partial and it is packed, and you don't have any pain, you'll be fine. it sounds like no bone is exposed.

The worst pain is when it is exposed bone and it takes two weeks for new tissue to grow over it, it is AGONY.

I had one once and, yes, it was excruciating. It started a day or two after the extraction though, unlike yours. Once it was packed it settled down really quickly, so hopefully yours will be fine in a day or two.

It doesn't really sound like a dry socket to me OP, it's very unlikely you would get a dry socket 2 weeks after an extraction and they are normally very painful. Much more likely it's a bit inflamed, maybe some food got stuck, maybe a little bony fragment has worked it's way loose

Keep it clean tin plenty of salt water, bathe the area in it for 2 minutes 4 times a day. You can also buy corsodyl gel from the dentists and use that on the gums around the socket, it's antiseptic.

Only you know what you can eat and drink, it's nor going to get worse now it's been packed. How much pain are you in now?

Thank you all for your helpful and reassuring replies - I took two codeine yesterday and completely zonked out, hence late reply!

@beachcomber70 it's funny you should say that because I felt something was 'off' myself for the past week. Lots of little niggly things - I thought I was getting a cold or sinus infection because my face was achy and I was sniffly, and my eyes felt sort of strained. No fever or swelling so I was sure my gum wasn't infected but something was definitely not right. Since the socket has been packed it's gone away, though I'm actually in more pain than I was before which is annoying. Hope you're back to full fitness soon.

@2SlicesOfLimeInThatGin

@BlueCornsihPixie tbh I thought dry socket seemed odd too - I didn't question it because I figured the dentist must know best, but still. He said that the socket has partially filled in and 'tried' to heal along one side but the other half of it hasn't - there's a sort of 'lip' of new gum half over the opening of the socket that the food debris has got caught behind, making it really hard to clean with just regular salt water rinses which I've been doing religiously.

The pain has, annoyingly, increased - it was very mild before, I was only compelled to get it checked because the dentist would be closed if I left it any longer. Now it's more insistent but still not at all severe, about a 3 out of 10. It looks more inflamed than it did before it was cleaned/packed.

The packing is still in place - should I continue with salt water rinses, or will they dislodge it? My worry with eating normally/drinking hot or carbonated stuff is that it will dislodge the packing and I won't be able to get back to get it re-done until after Christmas.

Thank you for your help, you have honestly been brilliant and so patient

@2SlicesOfLimeInThatGin don't know what happened there, I typed a message to you but it didn't post! Was just thanking you for the reassurance

Yes keep up with the mouthrinses, your just holding it over the area with the saltwater not swilling so it shouldn't dislodge the packing

Tbh if it wasn't particularly painful before it was packed I wouldn't worry too much about dislodging it. Sometimes packing the socket can slow the healing process anyway.

Eating wise just be careful but unless it's painful I can't see why you can't eat normally.

If it's more inflamed I really would get some corsodyl gel from the chemists, and potentially a syringe (like a medicine syringe) to try and get salt water under that lip of gum to dislodge any food that may get stuck there. It just sounds like it's a bit inflamed and hard to clean, so it's just a case of new techniques to keep it clean!

It was the worst pain I can remember. I genuinely think it's because you can't see an injury that it feels somehow worse?

I was holding ice packs right against my face and was still in agony even when the co-codamol + ibuprofen regime was at full throttle. I ended up self-dosing on Tramadol!

I got given amoxicillin but that didn't touch the sides so had another antibiotic after a week or so of torture.

@BlueCornsihPixie I was going to buy some Corsodyl gel yesterday but Boots didn't have any, I'll go on a hunt today! I know it's brilliant - my dentist gave me some years ago when I had inflamed gums and it settled them down almost overnight.

This morning it feels quite sore and achy, the packing is still in place and it the 'lip' part looks red on the outside with pale pink bits in the centre - these seem bigger than yesterday, so I'm taking that as a sign things are healing at last. I phoned the dental hospital yesterday and they told me to resume rinsing in a day or two so the packing doesn't dislodge, but I won't need to go back. My main worry now is infection - every twinge I think is the onset of it! But I suppose it's going to hurt isn't it, infection or not.

@BuzzShitbagBobbly you're so right! Mine is in an awkward place so if I want to look at it in involves all sorts of manoeuvres with mirrors and torches, and when I do see it I worry myself that it's infected. I've got quite obsessed! I haven't been given antibiotics because it's not infected but I wish they'd given me some, if only to put my mind at rest that it isn't/won't be. I haven't had antibiotics for about 15 years so overuse wouldn't be an issue.

Let's hope the (dentistless) weekend passes smoothly!

Sending you healing mouth thoughts. I loathe tooth pain and have a fear of dry socket. Any pain from the neck up is bloody horrible. Good luck

@Sux2buthen thank you You're so right. It's the sort of pain you just can't escape from, isn't it. Completely maddening. That said there's very little pain today, but the area is still very inflamed. Packing still in place so that's something. Praying it doesn't get infected in time for Christmas!

I haven't had antibiotics for about 15 years so overuse wouldn't be an issue.
I'm not saying you shouldnt have antibiotics in this case, if you have an infection, but that's not how antibiotic resistance works. Its overuse of antibiotics on a population level that is the problem, not one individual. So in theory, one person having 10 courses of ABs is the same as 10 people each having one course. So doctors/dentists are reluctant to give them out to anyone unless they're really needed.

@RhymingRabbit3 oh I didn't realise that! I thought it was each individual overusing them that was causing resistance. I've learned something today

Sorry to keep resurrecting this thread, but I'm at my wit's end. The thing is now infected, or at least it looks as if it is. The inflammation has come to a sort of 'head' above the gumline and looks very angry. No bad breath or temperature, but the pain is increasing. I doubt very much I'll be able to see a dentist until after Christmas. I've had enough of this now, it's nearly three weeks since the thing was extracted and I'm still in pain, even though I've done everything I'm supposed to do. I've had a little cry, more out of frustration than anything else. What brilliant timing, too - I have zero enthusiasm for Christmas because I know it's just going to be painful. Sob

You poor thing. Are you positive you can't see a dentist tomorrow? You could get any antibiotics you need and you'd start feeling better.

You poor thing. Have you got any clove oil in the mean time?

@DonPablo I'm going to try and get an appointment at the hospital where I had the extraction/socket packed tomorrow but I don't hold out much hope - they see a handful of patients a day and it's usually very busy. I'm scaring myself silly with thoughts of sepsis if I can't get it seen to before the 27th. And the mountains of Christmas food I won't be able to eat but will have to prepare anyway isn't making me feel terribly chipper, either.

I don't have any clove oil - I've been using Corsodyl gel to try and bring the inflammation down but it's not helped, I think it's too far gone for that.

Bloody effing shitting bollocking teeth

I'd be tempted to turn up there and say you'll wait!

Don't underestimate the powers of Clive oil. Antiseptic, soothing and painkilling.

OP you are very very unlikely to get sepsis, especially post extraction. You have no major swelling, don't worry!

Don't turn up and sit and wait, that's really not fair.

It's potentially a small shard of bone working it's way free? Or maybe they left some tooth in the socket?

I think you need to go back and have the socket xrayed, to check there's no tooth left in the socket. It's really unlikely to get post extraction infection 3 weeks after an extraction. Could you post a picture of your socket?

It's awful you are still having problems with this extraction site. My advice would be to go to the hospital first thing and wait to be seen. No matter how long you have to wait.
You have my sympathy and I hope you can be helped and given whatever you need to get this sorted and feel better. It's been horrible for you. Look after yourself.

The dental hospital should see you for this as it's a complication of their treatment. You should'nt need to get an emergency appointment for it. They shouldn't turn you away, but you need to ring them up first.

I can see our advice conflicts there. Just saying what I would do. The fact everything is shutting for the Christmas break is complicating matters.
I think you need reassurance somehow from someone knowledgeable actually looking inside your mouth.