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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be worried that I'm now going to get dry socket?

35 replies

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 22:45

I had a single wisdom tooth out today, it wasn't infected or anything, but it had grown at a funny angle and was chaffing on my cheek and had become more sore recently so the dentist said today the only way to improve things was to take it out - so I went for it!

Took 5 mins, didn't hurt and have been taking painkillers (paracetamol and brufen) regularly so has been no more sore than it was before due to my cheek.

Only after care advice dentist gave me was not to do any sports and to bite down on the gauze for 10-15 mins. Bled for a while but not excessively. Didn't bother with lunch but ate normally for dinner - pasta with a couple of biscuits for afters.

So as I was not taking any strong painkillers, I settled down with a large glass (just the one) of Pinot Grigio seeing as I broke up today from uni.

I had pretty much finished it before it occured to me to look online just to check if alcohol is ok - and it is a resounding NO! Also apparently there are lots of other things you should/shouldn't do in order to ensure a clot forms to prevent dry socket. You should not swill water around your mouth and spit - but I did this lots today, you should only eat soft food - didn't do this. You should not poke it with your tongue - been doing this all day as the hole feels funny...

If I had a clot there it had probably well and truly dislodged!

I'm bound to get dry socket aren't I? I am otherwise quite healthy and don't smoke...

And I know I should have posted this in health, but it is sooo slow there and I am worried!

OP posts:

emsyj · 20/12/2012 22:52

Just go back to the dentist tomorrow and tell them what you've said here and get him to look at it. I think they may pack the hole if needs be, that's what they did for me, but I'm not a dentist so I will just say - go to the dentist tomorrow. And don't panic!

thenightsky · 20/12/2012 22:52

I had a similar thing with my wisdom tooth. I was convinced there was no clot in there as the hole felt so deep I couldn't reach the bottom of it with my tongue (couldn't resist trying) I think I drank a bit of vodka too. I was ok, but I did fret. Apparently it is quite rare though. I was told to gently swill my mouth with Corsydil mouth wash twice a day.

WorraLorraTurkey · 20/12/2012 22:53

I wouldn't worry honestly.

I had a one of my back teeth removed and didn't know I wasn't supposed to rinse it...yet I did repeatedly.

That was years ago and it's fine.

Is it still bleeding? If not, then it probably has clotted...despite your wrong doings

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 22:56

Ok thanks for all your replies, what also worried me was my mum was going on about dry socket earlier on the phone but I didn't know what she was talking about at the time - apparently she had it once when she had a tooth out, but she is a smoker though...

OP posts:

emsyj · 20/12/2012 22:58

I've had dry socket - it is Not Nice. But if you got it, you would know about it...

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 22:58

Can I brush my teeth? Feels kind of wrong going to bed with a dirty mouth, but some sites seem to think this is preferable to potentially brushing away a clot...

OP posts:

MoonlightMerrimentandMistletoe · 20/12/2012 22:58

Is it wrong I thought "dry socket" was going to be somewhat euphemistic and something one probably shouldn't Google?

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 22:59

How long after did you start to notice problems em? Hope you are all healed now!

OP posts:

Dinglebert · 20/12/2012 23:01

I think you had the same dentist as me - absolutely lacking in advice. I was really worried about dry socket too - I agree with the other poster, I would try and get back there tomorrow for a check. He or she made the mistake of not bothering to give you the full information, so I think it is reasonable that you ask to be checked, rather than having to call someone out over Christmas.

WorraLorraTurkey · 20/12/2012 23:01

Moonlight I was about to recommend KY Jelly

Willdoitinaminute · 20/12/2012 23:01

Standard advice is:-
First 24 hrs don't mess,rinse or poke
You can eat and drink but nothing too hot or too cold
After 24 hrs start using hot salt water mouth washes- 1 teaspoon of salt in a mug of hot water as hot as you can stand take a mouth full and hold it in the area of the socket for one minute do this with as much of the mug as you can. Don't swish around
Use painkillers when required.
Even if you do everything correctly you may still end up with dry socket and conversely if you do everything wrong socket may heal without incident.
So. Don't worry.
Dry sockets tend to develop after 2-3 days. They are extremely painful and you will know about it. They need to be rinsed and dressed since antibiotics don't work particularly well.
Hope this is of use.

Dinglebert · 20/12/2012 23:01

PS: I filled a sports bottle with a saline solution and took it everywhere with me so I could [gently] swill my mouth out after the first day or two.

MoonlightMerrimentandMistletoe · 20/12/2012 23:02

Thank goodness it wasn't just me Worra.

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 23:02

Hmm I think seeing the dentist again will be impossible, I had an emergency apt today and it was the only one they had before Xmas! I will just have to hope for the best I think!

OP posts:

emsyj · 20/12/2012 23:03

Oh yes it was a few years ago, fine now! I had the op on a Tuesday evening, was fine Wednesday & Thursday, ropey by Friday and back at the hospital crying with the pain on the Sunday... So took a few days to get painful.

It's not something that will quietly ruin your mouth whilst you're oblivious - it's very painful. If you start feeling significant discomfort, get it looked at. I waited too long before going back as I just thought 'it's bound to be painful afterwards' and that was the wrong thing to do, I should have gone for treatment right away.

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 23:05

And yes dry socket does sound rude I agree! Tgat's why I was a bit when my mum was going on about it earlier!

Thanks for all your advice!

OP posts:

emsyj · 20/12/2012 23:06

My DBro is a dentist who does on call duty every Christmas and New Year. I can guarantee he would rather get a call from a patient on Friday 21st asking to be slotted in somewhere than a beep during Christmas dinner from a patient who's in agony (and he gets about half a dozen of those every year...)

I would call and say you're worried, see if the dentist will speak to you and then take the emergency number in case anything flares up over the Christmas break.

CoolaYuleA · 20/12/2012 23:10

Shiiiiiiit - I just google imaged dry socket and now I feel sick as a dog.

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 23:12

Were they genuine dry sockets, or the kind worra was thinking about?

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 20/12/2012 23:13

If its any help, I ignored all advice from my dentist on both the occasions that I had teeth out, smoked and drank the same day, and didnt get dry socket, so there is no guarantee that you will get it.

bonzo77 · 20/12/2012 23:16

OP was it a top or lower wisdom tooth? The ones at the top very very rarely get it. Do you smoke? It's unusual in non smokers? I normally say no rinsing for 48 hrs, but eat and drink as normal. Brush your teeth as usual, just avoid that area today and don't rinse after: spit the excess aste out very gently. You'll probably be fine.

GrimmaTheNome · 20/12/2012 23:18

DD had a tooth out recently - her dentist gave us a sheet of the do's and don'ts and info on dry socket. I'm amazed you weren't provided with similar.

I think its ok to brush your other teeth, just stay away from the extraction. DD did this before her saline swills - which were hot but not 'hot as you can stand' (advice I'd rememberd from my extractions about 40 years ago)

MoonlightMerrimentandMistletoe · 20/12/2012 23:19

Ah, so it is a 'never google' job!

Do hope you don't get it though - does not sound pleasant.

Original poster

DrRanj · 20/12/2012 23:27

It is a top one so hopefully I will be fine!

OP posts:

CatPussRoastingOnAnOpenFire · 20/12/2012 23:30

You think a dry socket is bad? My dentist made me swill my mouth out in order to check that she hadn't broken a hole through to my sinus. Apparently the mouthwash would have come out of my nose!

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