Dry socket and antibiotics are making me feel terrible - any advice?

[PurpleParent]

Had a tooth extraction and developed a dry socket a week ago. The pain is horrendous and constant.

Started antibiotics 2 days after extraction, after 3 days no improvement. Dentist prescribed a second antibiotic - day 3 of second one and the side effects are horrible. Intense nausea and diarrhoea.

To make matters worse there doesn't seem to be any improvement in dry socket pain.

I really don't want to take anymore of the antibiotics - they don't seem to be working and I'm worried I'll be physically sick and won't be able to keep any pain killers down - adding to the pain of the dry socket.

Honestly have not felt this poorly and in pain for forever.

I know the advice is to finish the course, but is it worth it if not working?

Also, any advice on dry sockets? Have been following home care advice to the letter.

My antibiotics for an infection made me vomit none stop so my dentist told me the new guidelines are that as long as I had taken 2 days worth I could stop. Obviously don’t do this without speaking to your dentist first.

Have they not packed the tooth? That gave me a lot of relief for dry socket.

They packed it on day 2 which helped, when I went back again they cleaned it but couldn't re pack as said couldn't easily remove the previous gauze / packing.

Thought about going again today but literally feel too nauseous to leave the house.

Thanks that's useful to know about the 2 day thing - will see if I can get a phone call with dentist.

I had my dry socket packed every day for about 5 days, only thing that dealt with the pain. I would go back and ask them to see if they could do a light pack on it or something. It’s horrible

When my husband had dry socket the dentist recommended clove oil, soaking a cotton wool ball and putting it next to the gum. That really helped. I'd check with your own dentist first though! You can buy it in Boots.

No , never,ever apply clove oil to anywhere in the mouth, particularly into a socket. Clove oil is acidic, irritant and many are also allergic to it. It can burn through gum onto bone and I have had to take teeth out when people have had such bad burns .
Here is a photo of what clove oil can do https://www.instagram.com/dr.leyli_shirvani/p/CG6GdVMprbj/

A dry socket pain is t strictly speaking due to infection. A dry socket occurs when the blood clot that forms in the socket falls out before the skin/gum has grown over the surface of the exposed bone. This is why a dressing is more effective at treating a dry socket.
If not packed, and you are healthy it will take a week to 10days for most sockets to epithelialise. This sort of coincides with the length of the course of antibiotics, which is why a course of antibiotics is thought to solve the problem.

Salt water will reduce the bacterial load but packing the socket covers up the bone and nerve endings reducing pain a bit like a dressing on the skin helps reduce pain.

Having practiced dentistry for over 35 yrs I’ve yet to see any better treatment for a dry socket than simply packing it with a fibrous dressing ( Alvogyl) we call it magic moss.

I would go back to your dentist to have it packed again. Then take care not to wash it out. Rather than vigorously rinse your mouth just hold the salt water in your mouth in the area for a minute then repeat.

Went back to dentist, they said original packing still in place and looks like it's healing but still signs of infection around gum - cheek is massively swollen still and recommended perservering with antibiotics until end of the course. I keep telling myself if I could do 3 months of morning sickness I can do this. Thanks for all helpful replies

OP is it better now?

I have had dry socket three times. It's awful! The antibiotics fucked me up too. You just have to wait it out. Takes about two weeks. I remember suddenly waking up feeling better one morning. Once the socket heals you can stop the medication.

oh god I’m on day 7 extraction day 5 dry socket and infection it’s horrific
i can’t manage many pain killers or antibiotics so been on paracetamol and packing and salt water however I’m having to take antibiotics which are a risk for me but the pain!
pls is it days post extraction 10-14 days or days once dry socket starts 10-14 days

I can’t face another 9 days of this !