how long does dry socket take to heal?

[PrammyMammy]

I had a tooth extracted on Thursday, have been in complete pain over the weekend and had to go back today. They said i have dry socket and cleaned it out then packed it with a brown cotton thing that stinks.
How long before it heals? Should that be it sorted?

[Baddz]

Mine took weeks
Sorry
Regular pain relief - I used soluble co codamol, sleeping with my face on a heat pad, cleaning out the hole with cotton buds after eating all helped.
It's miserable though.

[Beck271]

I had a wisdom tooth out 12 days ago and was in immense pain so went to an Emergancy dentist on a Sunday they removed another tooth ?? still in agonising pain I went back to my original dentist who told me it was dry socket I am in so much pain on 2nd course of antibiotics taking pain killers left right and center I really am at my wits end !!!! Help x

[sharkin05]

I had 3 of my wisdom teeth (2 bottom, top left) out in November under general anaesthetic, and I developed dry socket in my bottom left one. I thought the pain was normal because the dentist said that that one in paticular was a complicated extraction, but after a few days I knew something was not normal.

I was on pain killers every 3 hours, sometimes I couldnt move my body because I was in so much pain and had to lie in bed crying. I didnt eat for 7 days, and eventually I managed to get up and go to the dentist. He flushed it and packed it with this brown gauze stuff which tasted and smelled like clovers. I passed out during this but, immediatley after I left the surgery it felt a lot better. I had to return one more time to the private practice where I got my teeth removed where they re-flushed it and packed it once more. The dentist said any more than 2 times is very rare, my tooth eventually healed after this but I was not right for 3 weeks. My mum and friends also pointed out that my breath STANK!

But yeah, it does eventually go away. But if your'e unsure go back to the dentist to check everything is fine so you don't get an infection. Worst pain i've ever experienced IN MY LIFE.

[sharkin05]

Try 2 paracetamol, and 1 400mg ibuprofen every few hours. I took more than the recommended dose and I didn't die! Also, don't have any cold liquid with your dry socket it makes it worse, and stay out of the cold air! Try paramol which is a strong painkiller too.

[Megzymalonie]

I have type 2 diabetes and they are claiming this is why i have the dry socket and why its taking longer to heal. Just have to keep going back and keep getting wadding shoved in when it hurts.

[Eva82]

Omg! My 4th dry socket and the worst so far. I keep getting them although I know by heart what not to do. I even had a blood test done to find out if everything is fine in terms of blood clotting. Besically my blood bloth does not even form and now I think ot is because of contraceptive pills I am taking. It s been 2 weeks and there us no change at all. Still the entire bone is visible even the openings to the roots. Nothing seems to help. I even have a dry socket paste at home. You all say the pain goes away once the socket is packed. Well it does not in my case. I think it makes it worse at times. I made a mistake by allowing my dentist to scrape the bone. It made 100% worse since it was not full dry socket initially. The treatment make it full dry socket with the pain I can't tolerate. I am going crazy because there is no sign of healing. I can't work... Can't function but it was not bad at all before the scraping.... so if your blood cloth did not form do not let the dentist to scrape the bone. My previous dry socket was super painful as well but not that much and it took entire 2 months in pain. Now it s crazy. No relief no matter what I do. And the more I dig in it the worse it gets. Eating plain yogurt gives me temporary relief but for like 30min. Ended up at ER and even morfine did not take the pain away. I don't know how much longer I can take it. I am so depressed thinking it will take 2 months in this pain that even strongest narcotic pain pill will not take away. I just wished the brown thing will help with the pain. I don't know why it does not???

[Lanakila1313]

I just recently got all 4 wisdom teeth out last Friday. By Monday, I had this excruciating pain in my bottom two sockets. I thought I was literally going to die because the pain was just unbelievably painful! I’ve never experienced any pain like this before and it just tore me to shreds. On Thursday, I went to the dentist and the put the cotton like gauze with some clove oil on it. It took the pain away right away, but than today I could feel the pain coming back. I’ve had teeth removed before when I was younger but nothing compared to how painful this truly felt! I feel for anyone and everyone who has or will go through this pain! People truly don’t understand how painful it is until your the one going through it. My boyfriend didn’t believe my pain was that bad and thought I was just being over dramatic until the dentist said it was dry socket than he bought me flowers and Ice cream and said he was sorry a million times. But honestly, it’s very painful and should not be taken lightly. As soon as you feel severe pain go to your dentist and get it checked out don’t wait 6 days like I did. Trust me it’s terrible pain!!!

[Imbluedabadee]

I had dry socket and it was easily the worst pain I have ever experienced! Dentist refused to see me because I was a smoker too so I had to treat it myself. Some things that really helped were rinsing it out with the shower head to get everything out of there - I was left with a deep hole for a while that bits of food got stuck in and it stunk so the proper rinsing really helped. Alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen every 2 hours takes the edge off the pain. I was left with some tiny splinters of bone in there which I had to pick out with tweezers and then I read somewhere that you need a blood clot in there for the gum to grow over so I scratched inside the hole to make it bleed and then was just really careful while it healed over and it was all better within a couple of weeks. I know how gross that all sounds but I had no choice because of the dentist refusing to see me - or rather the receptionist refusing to give me an appointment and it really worked!

[Dharm]

I had my 3rd from the back bottom tooth removed 14 days ago and have been in pain since went back to the dentist last week as my jaw was hurting and had a bitter taste in my mouth...well I was told that my gum was healing well but I had a little bit of dry socket that was treatmented with paste and dressing...how long before this will heal anyone know ?...sick of the pain and taking pain killers just want my life back ☹️

[Heidi70]

I had my wisdom tooth extraction on 11/8 and 2 days later I was having agonizing pain so went to my dentist and he said it was a dry socket. He’s been re packing it and now it’s 3 weeks and still having horrible pain. He also re stitched twice. Don’t know what to do ? Please give advice

[Sparkx555]

I had an extraction of a lower molar 12 dats ago, I’ve had dry socket before so knew the next day it was happening again. As soon as the numbness wore off the gum was pulsating, and that’s not what extraction pain feels like. Well I’ve just been through ten days of the most hellish pain ever, couldn’t eat, sleep, function, I just laid on the sofa night and day praying for the pain to end. Anyways, after trying everything and literally rattling with painkillers, I wanted to share something that found finally worked for me. It completely numbed the pain for a couple of hours a time which got me through until it was time for the next dose of painkillers. Every three hours I took one ibuprofen and one ibuprofen, sometimes two of each of it was particularly unbearable, mostly at night when I just wanted some sleep.

Get some Clive oil and ambesol extra strength, which is a numbing toothache gel. Mix in equal parts and with tweezers soak a very tiny wad of cotton wool in the mix and pack it in the hole. After about half an hour the pain eases up. It gives you at least an hours respite, which, believe me, is worth every second. When the pain starts coming back just repeat. It will get you through.

Day 12 today and it’s my first day with no painkillers. It’s still hurting but totally bearable. If you’re going through it right now I sympathise, it really is so terribly painful, but rest easy and stay calm. It will all be over soon.

[Hillary228612]

Hi,
I had the Medicated gauze put in yesterday after having a wisdom tooth pulled out Monday most of the pain is gone but it is still nagging but not as bad how long do the pain take to completely to go away in my ear and tooth. Thanks

[NH10]

I had my two teeth pulled last week Wednesday Wisdom and Molar. The system took forever with the molar, using all kinds of tools to get the thing out! Eventually he had to break the tooth which felt like forever...then gave me a piece of paper (not what to do after surgery) and a pack of gauze' s. It must of been 10 mins of me leaving to getting into my car and my mouth was on fire...my face felt like it was cracking, I couldn't feel my chin let allow right ear it was awful. Even though anaesthetic was given it was the worse feeling ever! I've had to go to emergency dentals twice to get the holes packed and the pain is still the same! , not being OTT would rather hit my head against a brick wall as the feeling is unbearable. To be honest insist I never bothered getting them out

[Sitdowncupoftea]

I've had my dry socket packed 3 days in a row now. I had my wisdom tooth out 4 days ago. I also have an infection which I'm on antibiotics for. The pain started more or less a few hours after extraction. I've seen three different dentists all saying different things. One says only take paracetamol, one says take codeine. One says use cordysl one says only salt water. One said it would heal in 3 to 4 days one said a week.
How long does a dry socket take to heal after packing. The hole is large and is agony ! On top of that bone has come out my jaw which I've been told the gum will grow back over ?

[Mammylamb]

@Sitdowncupoftea. How long did it take to heal? I’m suffering dry socket right now and it’s bloody horrible

[Sitdowncupoftea]

@Mammylamb mine has not healed yet. It's two weeks this friday . I think it would be best to ask your dentist as some heal quicker than others. I had a bad Infection.

[Mammylamb]

@Sitdowncupoftea hope you’re beginning to feel better. I was up through the night last night with it. Bloody sore

[Sitdowncupoftea]

@Mammylamb I have to sleep with head propped up. It's awful I hope yours heals faster than mine. I'm still in pain and totally fed up. It's gave me a huge fear of having dental work done.

[Mammylamb]

Thanks for the tip @Sitdown. I’ll try that tonight. Hope yours gets better soon.

[Yosie]

Hello! I’m sorry for everyone going through this pain... sending positive vibes to quick healing.
MAYBE SOMEONE COULD ANSWER MY QUESTION.
I’m in day 11 dry socket my destinar said is 80% closed but I still having pain around my gum and some part of my face.
It’s normal to have pain with the healing process?

Thank you.

[Kellyryan21]

Hi there. I just wanted to ask if anyone has experienced a really slow healing dry socket. It’s been 5 weeks since I had my dry socket and I’m still having pain in my jaw , shooting pains. And sometimes pain in the socket. I’ve had it packed twice and the gum is healed over practically, but these pains in my jaw are really sharp. Some people have said it can be healing pains ? I’m starting to get incredibly anxious about it as I don’t really know why it’s still hurting. Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thank you so much.