Dry socket - is this level of pain normal?

[Gettingonabitnow]

I’m on day 3-4 of a dry socket, lower left tooth, after extraction. I also had an implant placed the same day lower centre tooth. I have had a dry socket before and remember it being bad, but not this bad.

Dentist packed it with clove dressing yesterday (day 2) and that is still in. I’m on antibiotics since day 1. I’m on naproxen and 30/500 Cocodomol both from the gp and im staggering them. The painkillers are barely covering the pain - for maybe an hour or so and then it’s back. It’s horrendous, my whole lower jaw and upper teeth hurt.

Is this level of pain normal given the level of painkillers?! I guess I’m worried about a bone infection as it’s just my bloody luck, but antibiotics should be covering me.

when does it end?!

X

I had it twice and it's the worst pain I've ever had.you want to claw your face off.
It's normally caused by smoking but not always.
You should be near the end of it now.

How old are you? I think the body takes longer to recover from trauma as the years go by. I think it took me at least a week to recover in similar circumstances - and a fortnight before I felt 'normal'. If you can take things really easy, that might help the healing process.

Thanks. Did you leave the clove packing in or have it removed? I’m a non smoker, don’t drink either.

I remember having relief as soon as the dentist packed my dry socket but he booked me in to pack it a couple of times.

It sounds like you’re doing everything right so it might be a case of giving it time.

Definitely leave it in. It does work just takes time.

I have had both my dc without any pain relief at all but can honestly say that dry socket was the worst pain I have ever experienced, I cried the whole time and wanted someone to saw my head off. It is up there as one of the worst pains to endure.

Thanks everyone. Do you think day 5 the pain will start to subside?

It took around 14 days for me but I had a lot of stitches - the funny thing was that as well as strong prescription pain killers I also have a morphine patch - funny that the tablets and patch did nothing for the tooth pain.

Hope things improve quickly for you

The pain is caused by the exposure of the jaw bone. When I had it I took Ibuprofen and codeine but the codeine made me feel weird so I stopped taking that and used paracetamol instead. I'm sorry to say it will take six weeks to heal over but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I also used anbesol and clove oil on a cotton bed but make sure the clove doesn't touch the gum, only the bone. I am so afraid I will get it again one day. But I think I may have caused it myself because being naive, I used a straw to drink fluids when the tooth was first taken out. I wasn't a smoker. The drawing effect, like the straw,is what pulls the clot out.

Cotton *bud

It is fucking horrific. Definitely keep it packed and go back to the dentist to get it repacked. Sympathies.

Thanks everyone. I’ve only had it packed once, and that packing is still in. Should I get it packed again or is dislodging it going to make it worse? Just wondering what to do for best as going into the weekend so tomorrow is the last chance to see the dentist really. Jaw ache, ear ache, this is hell!

I'd ring the surgery. They may want you to come in and have a look, to see if the site is healing.