What does dry socket look like does anyone know?

[Aberforthsgoat]

I had a tooth out yesterday and I saw a few threads with people having the same thing (dentist said Christmas Eve is a popular day for extractions, he’d already done six by the time I was in!) and they mentioned dry socket. I wasn’t aware of this so I googled and now I’m in a bit of a flap.

I’ve been very careful, didn’t rinse for 24 hours, don’t smoke, no straws, eaten on the other side of the mouth. Only rinsed gently with saltwater today after eating and have eaten small, soft meals and things like cheese, fruit, eggs, porridge. Have forgone the tin of roses, sob.

But my gum is a little swollen and now I’ve peered at the crater (had left it well alone) it looks odd and like it’s sort of sunk and gone a bit white in places? It looks smaller than yesterday and I’m wondering if this is dry socket?! I’ve also got a bit of soreness - previously the pain was horrendous and in my ear and jaw and face as well as my teeth, and now it’s only faintly in my ear and soreness around the site that’s easily managed by painkillers. I just feel tired due to a week of no sleep due to toothache!

Am I being overly paranoid! Wondered if anyone had had it and what happened with theirs? I have to say I’m panicked because the idea of being in more pain that I was before makes me feel physically ill, I just have a low pain threshold as I wasn’t coping then!

The dentist gave me the information on how to look after the crater but didn’t mention dry socket specifically. I wish I’d never heard of it now!

Yeah it sounds totally normal to me. I've had several out (hyperdontia) and they've all done that. Never had dry socket. Go right to the back of your tongue, as far as you can without gagging.

Give it one more day and you can probably start gently using non alcohol mouthwash. That'll help the death breath. Probably cleaning the teeth either side will too as they smell quickly when you can't brush them.

Thanks @nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut I’ve ordered some corsidyl which is arriving today so I’ll start that tomorrow. Thicker creamy stuff over it this morning, some areas thicker than others so I think you’re right and it’s the healing tissue getting thicker. Thanks for all your reassurance this has really done a number on my health anxiety.
I didn’t take any painkillers last night just to see what the pain was like and it’s still very achey, a little bit of the nerve like pain (but apparently my nerve was very very inflamed and I’m on antibiotics) but definitely much much lower level than it was.

The only thing that’s bothering me now is a couple of my other teeth are still a bit achey - again low level - this is what my toothache was like originally but it was half of my whole mouth and he said it was because of the nerve being inflamed. Hopefully the antibiotics are making a difference there. With painkillers I have no pain at all but I’m not sure how long it’s ok to keep taking ibuprofen for

And the bad taste in my mouth! It’s like permanent morning breath. I cannot wait to use mouthwash. Unfortunately with the toothache I wasn’t brushing properly around there either because it was all so painful so I feel like it’s been a good few days since I had a thorough clean. No wonder my mouth feels grim.
I’m pleased that I’m only on ibuprofen now though, codeine makes your mouth dry anyway which doesn’t help with the breath situation.

Thanks for all the advice on here I guess the only thing I can do now is keep my fingers crossed and keep being careful. I never realised that blood clots could change colour so much! The frustrating thing is the description for the start of dry socket appears to be the same as the description for a healing clot - whiteish stuff!

Just to say, op, that my dentist warned me off Corsidyl a long time ago because it stains your teeth. Alright for short term use only.

Thanks for the heads up @Reedwarbler I’ll only use it for a few days then switch. I’m just desperate for my mouth to feel clean and to have fresh breath!

You're doing great OP. Just keep plodding on - another week or two and it'll feel much better, honest! Even if it is dry socket, all that means is it'll take a few weeks longer to heal. You'll be okay.

Again if it helps, I had really sore teeth around and above the extraction site - to the point that I asked them to double check when they did the dry socket fittings as I was convinced they must have been damaged during the extraction. They settled down eventually though.

Oh OP I've only just seen this thread. I had an extraction on 17th December and felt like you for the first few days, I was concerned I had dry socket but as over the counter painkillers helped i decided it probably wasn't. I'm still sore now but manageably so - Christmas Dinner was fine! Still avoiding anything too crunchy and waking early with an aching jaw but feel so much better than a week ago. Keep going you'll get there. Slow release Ibuprofen has been helping me to get some sleep.

If you have to ask, you don't have it. It was the worst pain I've ever experienced, far worse than childbirth.

Just don't blow your nose or strain!

Thank you I’m trying to stay calm about it and not peer at it every five seconds but DH just wanted to check for me and braved the breath and now says it no longer looks level, in some areas what’s in it looks lower than the gum if the makes sense although there is still something in there he thinks it looks shallower than he did and not as white. So naturally how I’m worrying again! I phoned my dentist but they are closed and no info on emergency contact on the voicemail just says they open Tuesday. I don’t feel like I can call 111 when I’m not in pain but I am feeling a bit of an ache now, although that’s probably kind over matter.

I might try to get a picture of it although it’s hard to get it in focus.
I will be so so glad when this is over and I can forget about it!

Okay taken some photos - WARNING GRIM PHOTOS AHEAD!

Couldn’t focus exactly but the surface is like little white circles joined together with a blood coloured bit at the top end with no creamy bits on it. It just seems to have dipped below the surface of the gum IYSWIM and I’m worried it’s emptying.

Please excuse other terrible stained teeth I’m getting them cleaned and whitened when the dentist will do it!

Mine went white and it was just healing. I also had sharp bits of bone and the dentist said that was OK too (one worked its way out).

I think that's OK, OP.

Thats what mine looks like OP and honestly 9 days on I feel much, much better. Still aching but not relying on painkillers and can eat most foods.

@EnglishGirlApproximately thank you! Did you have the morning breath and morning breath taste at first? I don’t think I’ve cleaned my mouth enough as I’m being so careful!

Your breath will smell because of the blood and healing flesh.

Looks good to me. Leave it alone and you'll be grand I think

Thanks! It’s really grim. Poor DH doesn’t want to come near me and DS isn’t as cuddly as usual maybe I should use it as an opportunity for some time on my own!

Yep still have a foul taste in a morning now but the smell is much better. I can clean my teeth mostly normally now so its getting there.

That’s really reassuring thank you @EnglishGirlApproximately the taste/breath is really getting me down stupidly even though I am very very grateful not to be in pain

I went through a couple of days of wishing I hadn't had if out tbh, but now its healing I'm so glad the pain has gone. I have another cracked tooth which isn't causing pain at the moment so I'm back at the dentist at the end of Jan to make a plan for that one and my gap. Possibly looking at implants so better get used to the pain I guess. From the teeth and the kidney I'll have to sell to afford it

Jesus I know the implants are SO expensive. I’m at the point where I just feel gross and unclean, saltwater doesn’t really seem to clean properly even though it makes it feel cleaner if that makes sense.

Poor you having to have another one done but wise to get in before the pain starts!

That looks like mine did, OP. Worth bearing in mind the colours of the healing tissue can vary even from day to day. Mine sometimes looked greyish and occasionally greenish which was a bit unsettling but still presented no problem. There were sometimes a few random red dots in the tissue too just to add to the joy.

Fortunately my extraction was right at the back and doesn't show so the dentist doesn't think it needs implants or any other corrective work. The cost of those is extortionate!

Thank you @CathyorClaire it’s so hard to tell when you don’t know what you’re looking at. I know, when he said they start at £1900 I nearly fell out of the chair

My current extraction is at the back but the other further forward so I may well leave the back one and have the implant in the other. I'm an extremely nervous patient though so am considering just having the whole lot done under sedation

Still looks good, its just bedding down as the clot shrinks. That's natural. As it heals underneath the clot gets slowly reabsorbed. Its not like a dry scab that falls off. Its healing really well as far as I can see. Difference with dry socket is that the white stuff is your jawbone. Yours is just healing tissue.

Your other teeth will ache a bit for a week or two. Its pretty hard to get a tooth out and the others get bruised in the process.