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Original poster

Anyone awake… I think I have dry socket

35 replies

Elopelo · 20/02/2023 04:25

Had a lower wisdom tooth out on Saturday and things were okay until I’ve woken up an hour ago with very very intense pain… I think I have dry socket as I can’t really see a blood clot over the area but I can see lots of white. I’ve taken some ibuprofen and paracetamol but really this is the worst pain I’ve had since the procedure itself which makes me think it mustn’t be normal?

In this instance who do I contact? The dental hospital where I had the procedure or my dentist who referred me?

Its a gnawing deep pain… can’t concentrate on anything else.

OP posts:
wordler · 20/02/2023 04:30

It’s the worst kind of pain - I found that nothing but codeine would even touch it.

I would connect your dentist first as the fix is really simple and might be easier to get an emergency appointment there than a specialist.

I had it over a weekend and it was the worst weekend of my life but took the dentist a very quick appointment to deal with it.

Iizzyb · 20/02/2023 04:59

OP you have my sympathies. You need to ring wherever you had the tooth out.

I had this after a wisdom tooth extraction at a private hospital (I had private healthcare at work). I was told to ring the ward number if any problems. The utter cow nurse I spoke to said it was normal and just to get on with it. Nobody had warned me what I dry socket was & I'd no idea. I didn't ring back as I didn't think there was any point.

Paracetamol & nurofen didn't touch it for over a week, only codeine worked. I had so much of it I was so constipated as well. (Lovely GP did help with that). My head was so foggy on the codeine as well.

Saw the consultant for follow up. He looked so ashamed I'd not been seen & treated.

Please get some help today and good luck xxx

garlictwist · 20/02/2023 05:07

I had this twice last year. Awful. There is no cure but time. You can go back to the dentist and get it packed with this weird clove stuff. That does bring some relief but it falls out after a few days. It doesn't speed the healing but masks the pain.

It will only stop hurting when it reclots. In my case that took about 8 days. But the relief was immediate. I literally woke up with no pain.

Good luck. It will be a miserable time but take care of yourself and if you can try to rest and have some time off work.

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Treacletreacle · 20/02/2023 05:10

Call the hospital where you had the procedure. I actually went to a and e on Christmas eve after calling the dental hospital for advice. The on call doctor called me back and said I could come in. They will numb it and scrap to make it bleed again and this will form a new clot. Good luck xx

HairyKitty · 20/02/2023 05:48

I’ve had a wisdom tooth out with no dry socket, much more painfulthan expected. It was shockingly painful first few nights I was awake most of the night.

I got the slow release ibuprofen and took x3 morning and evening, plus solpadeine max (strong cocodamol). Over 2 weeks later the pain is easing but I still need painkillers.

PurpleReindeer2 · 20/02/2023 06:28

I found the only relief was from the dentist packing a cloth type substance into the cavity. It contains fantastic pain relief and tastes like clove oil. The relief was instant. Over time the cloth substance just dissolves away. Ring your dentist and the hospital and insist this is what you need today as you are in absolute agony. Good luck.xx

HairyKitty · 20/02/2023 08:03

OP I think I’m trying to say, only a dentist can tell you if it’s dry socket and treat it, but even if it isn’t dry socket the pain can be excruciating depending what they did to complete the extraction.

Original poster
Elopelo · 20/02/2023 08:45

Thanks so much for your replies. So sorry to all of you who have experienced this. The pain did calm down a bit with the paracetamol and ibuprofen but has started up again in the last 20 minutes so I’ve just called the clinic and one of the dental nurses is going to ring me back.

The clove oil packing thing sounds like heaven right now. I’m so glad it’s half term so not back at work until next week.

OP posts:
BakedTattie · 20/02/2023 08:58

Dry socket is the worst pain I have ever experienced. I was literally hysterical with it. I called my dentist and they cleaned out the whole area and repacked with the (awful!) clove tasting thing.

eventually it healed. Awful horrendous time, you have my fullest sympathy.

AliceS1994 · 20/02/2023 09:10

Good luck getting it sorted, as everyone else has said try the place that removed the tooth first, they should see you as a priority.

Just wanted to add that there's a few other options to get seen if you are desperate and for whatever reason they can't see you asap. It's agony and you absolutely need treatment as it won't heal on its own now.

-Some big hospitals have dental A&E, check and see if they have a dental department before heading off. If you call 111 they can tell you nearest. It's usually the big teaching/university hospitals if you have one you can get to.
-If you call 111 also they can book you an appointment with an emergency dentist in your local area.
-Turn up at the place and very very politety explain the situation and offer to wait for a cancelled appointment. Obviously if they tell you there's no room etc. do as they say but despite the huge shortage of dentists many many people still miss appointments.

Original poster
Elopelo · 22/02/2023 21:57

Thanks everyone for your replies… I called the dental hospital on Monday and the nurse said it’s normal to experience some pain 48 hours after so just see how I go. I was okay Monday and Tuesday taking painkillers at regular intervals but today woke up in the morning with more pain. Went to hospital and dentist said it’s not dry socket and not infected but she packed it with some of that clove oil stuff anyway.

Rest of the day was fine but in the last 10 minutes I’m in absolute agony the worst pain than all 5 days combined… it doesn’t even seem to be the wisdom tooth hole… it’s more in my bottom teeth and all across the side of my face up to my ear…. What do I do? If it’s not an infection and not dry socket then what on earth is it?

OP posts:
HairyKitty · 22/02/2023 22:20

I have only stopped taking pain killers after 2 weeks. I was awake most of night in psi the first 3 nights. No fry socket

PurpleReindeer2 · 22/02/2023 23:20

Maybe ask them for an xray. Wisdom teeth roots are very deep and can tangle around adjoining ones. Maybe one of the other nerves has been damaged or inflamed. I'm not a dentist but really relate to your horrific tooth pain. I hope you manage to get seen again tomorrow and get it sorted xxx

IreallyLikeCrisps · 22/02/2023 23:36

Orajel helps a bit, combined with other pain killers.

Original poster
Elopelo · 23/02/2023 02:19

@HairyKitty You poor thing I’m so sorry to hear that, I hope you’re fully recovered now! I find the pain is getting worse day by day. I feel so useless and this is hurting more then the actual issues I had with the the tooth before removal.

I expected some pain and some discomfort but not this much 6 days in.

OP posts:
Netaporter · 23/02/2023 02:29

@Elopelo i had an abscess and a root canal a couple of years back whilst having cosmetic treatment. The root canal for some reason ‘set off’ the teeth either side and I ended up having 3 root canals in 48 hours as the pain was so intense. Does the pain subside with hot or cold fluid held in your mouth? I’m no dentist but thinking like me, It could be referred pain from something else you are experiencing?

Morestrangethings · 23/02/2023 02:51

PurpleReindeer2 · 20/02/2023 06:28

I found the only relief was from the dentist packing a cloth type substance into the cavity. It contains fantastic pain relief and tastes like clove oil. The relief was instant. Over time the cloth substance just dissolves away. Ring your dentist and the hospital and insist this is what you need today as you are in absolute agony. Good luck.xx

This worked for me too. About a decade ago. Within 20 minutes all pain was gone although the taste did make me feel a bit sick for about 30minutes. Dentist (a specialist) packed it with what he called ‘oil of cloves’ (probably a medicinal version of it, I don’t know) and packing. Within a week all the packing was gone and gum nicely healed over. Brilliant.

SkyHippoOnACloud · 23/02/2023 03:04

OP if you're tensed up from the original pain that could be causing the secondary pain. See if you can get any relief from a hot compress, face massage (look on YouTube for how) and moving your jaw around.

HairyKitty · 23/02/2023 04:02

@Elopelo get some solpadeine and ibuprofen and take full doses of both at regular intervals. I had to get the 12 hour ibuprofen to last through the night

Original poster
Elopelo · 23/02/2023 09:46

I’ve had the clove packing thingy in since yesterday morning but the pain I had last night was unbearable. I’m taking paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly and can be ok for a few hours before it hits again… I think it could be some sort of secondary pain as other posters have mentioned because my other teeth, jaw, cheek and ear hurt a lot.

Thank you for the recommendations @HairyKitty I didn’t even know there was such a thing as 12 hour ibuprofen so will get some in today.

OP posts:
Knackeredmommy · 23/02/2023 10:14

I had a tooth removed recently, days 3-5 were the most painful, woke me up out of my sleep, but it wasn't dry socket, I took ibuprofen every 4 hours and it did settle down. Hope it settles down soon x

Original poster
Elopelo · 23/02/2023 22:37

Day 6 and it’s been another tough one. I have 4-5 periods during the day when it seems the whole of the left side of my face goes into spasm… esp the jaw it becomes so tight and so painful and doesn’t match up to the timings of medication are wearing off. It brings me to tears every time.

I’ve been reading on the NHS website that you can have jaw stiffness for 7-10 days but it’s the pain that comes with it that’s so horrible it makes me feel nauseous and clammy. I’m really scared and worried about it.

OP posts:
0wlnoises · 23/02/2023 23:25

I think you probably ought to be seen again - if it's hurting your ear it does sound like there's an infection. I'd ring back, tell them what you've told us here and beg to be seen again. Really hope they can sort something for you as it sounds awful.

HairyKitty · 24/02/2023 21:01

Any better OP?

MrsMariaReynolds · 24/02/2023 21:34

Any chance it could be a (poorly timed) sinus infection? I've been to the dentist convinced it was an abscess only to be referred back to my GP for antibiotics for a brutal sinus infection. The pain was immense.

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