Tooth extraction after care advice!

[LD86]

I was just wondering if there were any dentists on here! I had a back molar removed on Wednesday, it was quite traumatic and took an hour to get out. The dentist explained I would probably be in pain due to the trauma and severity of it ( lovely) I am on day 3 and still in pain on an evening, my face is still tender and underneath my jaw and I have a bitter taste and my breath is not the most pleasant! I’m petrified of getting dry socket and have heard horror stories about it. I wanted to see if anyone had any experience of their healing process ( will attach a pic) and whether it looks normal. I’ve been using corsodyl mouthwash and I think it’s discoloured the socket!

It looks normal and sounds normal for 3 days post op

You have dry socket. Painkillers, rinse out regularly with warm saltwater. Go back to see your dentist on Monday to get it washed out and dressed. Could hurt for up to 10 days but will settle down eventually.

That looks like mine did. The dark bit is the clot and scab forming. It will take a while for the soreness and swelling to go down, my bruising didn't come out until day three. If you had dry socket you would be in excruciating pain. Go easy on the mouthwash as you don't want to dislodge the clot / scab as that is how you get dry socket. I was advised to use saltwater rinse rather than corsodyl.

I will lay off the corsodyl and just use salt bathe, today is the first day I have attempted to eat something other than soup and chew so I’m wondering if I have aggravated my jaw where it is still swollen and tender , I am in pain but just took some neurofen so hoping they kick in.

It will take a few weeks to settle don’t underestimate it! It looks like it healing nicely. Gentle hot salty mouthwashes are the best

Looks perfectly normal for three days post op.

I know I’ve googled all day and can’t work it out! Will see how I go tomorrow and get in contact with dentist on Monday to see what they think! I was so nervous to get my tooth out and the aftercare feels like it’s worse than the actual extraction part even though mine was hideous. 🙈

I had a huge wisdom tooth taken out and I got a partial dry socket. Excruciating! But easily treatable by the dentist. Alternate painkillers and keep them topped up until to get to see one.

It took about 6 weeks to heal completely so it’s early days for you. Corsodyl is too much at this stage so just salt water a few times a day and try not to dislodge the clot.

No corsodyl this early it will aggravate it. Salt water is better. No drinking straws, no smoking or vaping, nothing too hot. If you sneeze open your mouth. Avoid creating a vacuum or suction that could dislodge the clot.

It looks fine to me, the discolouration is just granulation tissue forming, just leave it there, it's performing a function.

I recommend a cotton bud dipped in toothpaste to clean the tooth next to it so your brush doesn't scrape it.

After 7 days your risk of dry socket is extremely low as the socket heals from the bottom up. By 7 days the socket is usually covered with new gum tissue.

who the heck told you to use corsodyl? it's salt and water. Follow Doc's instructions or call (or have someone to call on your behalf) and ask your dentist if unsure about something or unclear. Do not improvise.

I was lead to believe it was all straight forward and it certainly wasn’t. A few days according to the after care sheet . I felt very misled. I also had bits of bone fall out too - don’t be alarmed apparently it’s a thing 🙄

You'd know if it was a dry socket - they're absolutely agony. It looks like a healing extraction.

I have been really careful and don’t smoke etc anyway, today is the first day I’ve eaten something more than a yoghurt since Wednesday as I was starving! So thinking I may have aggravated my jaw by moving it, going to stop the corsodyl now too I thought it may of helped 😫

I just read on the back it was good for after tooth surgery so thought it may help obviously not 🙈😫

I had a straight forward wisdom tooth extraction and was in significant pain for 2-3 weeks, I was quite surprised but it was perfectly normal and healed well.

Thanks I have just looked this morning and I think it’s the partially erupted wisdom tooth next to the extraction site that’s giving my the jip! I’ve just cleaned it with a cotton bud and there was yellow stuff on there and it smelt foul! Think I need antibiotics! I’m meant to have another tooth out but this is seriously putting me off 😂

A bad taste is normal after a tooth extraction, as is a grey/yellow slough/bad breath.

Pain 3/4 days after an hour long procedure is normal. It can take a good 2 weeks for pain to settle

I'm an oral surgeon and that photo does not show a dry socket. A dry socket is essentially excruciating pain, and treatment is only for symptom management. If you pack any socket the pain will reduce pain but will also impair healing. Even if you had a technical dry socket unless you were in unbearable pain it's better not to treat as will heal quicker

Corsodyl won't cause harm, salt water is a bit more gentle but you can also use corsodyl.

Thank you for your advice! Spoke to my dentist and going to go back tomorrow so he can have a look, I am still in pain this morning and this evening it’s pulsating 🥴 took another picture and it looks different today like there is more white matter in the hole. I also cleaned the back tooth with a cotton bud

@FiveTreeHill I thought corsodyl was no longer advised due to the risk of anaphylaxis?

For rinsing out of a dry socket the advise is not to use CHX as theres no evidence it works better than saline, and therefore no need to risk anaphylaxis.

There's nothing to suggest you shouldn't use it as a mouthwash or to ban the use of CHX altogether, if no history of allergic reaction, and OP has been using it safely. It's a common antiseptic used in many many surgery's, and there is a very very small risk of anaphylaxis but in the same way there's a small risk when you prescribe an antibiotic or any medication to a patient. If a patient has used CHX safely then there's no harm in using CHX over salt water, and we would always prescribe it in a patient who's had major jaw surgery

It still looks normal based off the photo but glad you have got an appointment with your dentist to have it reviewed clinically

Back from the dentist! Start of dry socket and infection! Its been cleaned out and packed with this clove dressing and the relief is immense I could cry! Plus 2 lots of antibiotics

I hope so! It’s been a miserable week, I’ve been prescribed some strong antibiotics which I hope I don’t have any side effects from to top it off 😂