Dry sockets tooth extraction

[Sitdowncupoftea]

I had my tooth extracted on friday it was a wisdom tooth. I was in so much pain over the weekend. The worst pain I've experienced! I've been told I have a dry socket. I went to dentist it was filled with a dressing pain came back. I got another dressing still in pain. I also got antibiotics as its infected. I was wondering if anyone else had them and how did they cope. I've been told it will take a week to heal. Painkillers not working. Dentist wont prescribe painkillers. I've been told to take paracetamol or codeine and gargle with salt water. How can I cope for a week with constant pain.

Great result! It will take 14 days to heal but the horrendous pain will be gone in half that time.

The pain is insane. Fortunately when it happened to me, the antibiotics kicked in quickly.

I was working away for a few days after that, and even though it has eased off considerably by then, it was still all I could think/talk about. Literally, I was meeting new people, they’d say “hi, how are you?” and I’d reply “I had a tooth out last week and I’m still in massive pain”.

I like to think that I’ve passed into Leicester legend as “the girl who told the whole city about her toothache”.

Strangely enough the pain is not in the extraction socket but upper teeth and ear. I had the lower wisdom extracted. I've took painkillers but still in pain. Did anyone else experience this ?

I had a wisdom extraction over the Christmas period last year. Worst pain I've experienced in my life!! Like you I had the packing done and numerous occasions and eventually got antibiotics as i had a bad infection. I was taking codeine and using compresses. Also got orajel from the chemist and that worked wonders. In the first few days I was actually taking fast acting morphine tablets as the pain was unbearable. It was radiating from my jaw, to my ear and right up into my temples. I hadn't slept in days but thankfully on around day 4-5 of the antibiotics I started to feel better.

Its day 7 tomorrow. I've finished antibiotics which I have been on for 5 days. Last time it was packed was tuesday. I'm wondering when this pain will go. I've had no sleep for 6 nights. I was told yesterday at hospital the infection was just about gone. I cant understand why there is still so much pain and how much longer it will last. I'm just wishing the days away. It's the worst pain ever. When I googled it its supposedly rare but not by the amount of replies I've had on here. I've still got an awful taste too. Surely it cant go on much longer.

Try and get it packed again today and wipe clove oil on with an ear bud. It can't be much longer

My nerve got inflamed and ended up on diazepam for 3 weeks after as this spasm wouldn't stop. Was hell on Earth ....I lost my job over a dry socket!

Ive Been back to dentist. OMG this pain is horrendous. I've got a 2nd course of antibiotics. On top of that and probably all the meds I've now got diorreah. I've been told it's all nerve pain and another week to heal. I'm wishing the next week away very quickly. I've had practically no sleep in a week.

So sorry for you OP I'm wondering if the exposed jawbone is making things especially bad? For your diarrhoea it can help to take prebiotics to help restore your gut flora which can be affected by the antibiotics. Hope it soon improves for you.

Christ, I'm due an upper extraction in a few weeks and I'm already shitting myself about this being a risk.

OP, see a pharmacist for any additional pain relief, but hopefully you still have things from the hospital.

Ice packs on your face, make sure you're properly hydrated.

Is it possible you have nerve damage?

Have they checked your other teeth? Whilst pain can radiate up your ear and to your upper teeth it's also possible that this is toothache from another tooth

Dry socket is horrendously painful but the pain normally goes once it's dressed.

Is it at all swollen in the area?

How is the bone exposed?
I would see if they can make you a dressing plate or cut a flap and suture over that bone. Obviously exposed bone is going to be really painful

I've had it dressed 3 times , bone exposed in socket. I've seen 4 different dentists they have all said its dry socket pain. All my jawbone has had the skin ripped off inside during extraction so it had infection. I've had pain all over one side of my face , headaches earache. It was a wisdom tooth pulled. The pain is horrendous worse pain I've ever experienced. According to the dentist today it's normal for a dry socket. I don't know why I got one as I dont smoke , dont drink and not on any contraceptive. I was told I was just unlucky. It has given me a huge fear now of having anything done at dentist. I asked dentist is the pain in other teeth due to any damage done during extraction she thinks no. She said symptoms were typical of dry socket. I don't know what else I could have done to prevent it. I was told not to use clove oil as it can hinder healing and burn gums. I'm taking painkillers and it does not take pain away just takes edge of it. I've started metronidazole antibiotics today. Fingers crossed it goes as I'm totally drained. I'm not hungry but have ate soup or yoghurt before taking meds. I would have thought in the 21st century we would have had something to cure this awful condition rather than suffer continually until its healed.

This was my sister last month. Dry socket, exposed jaw bone. Dentist wouldn't see her as he said it would take 2 weeks to heal so there wasn't anything he could do. Also said he couldn't prescribe pain relief or antibiotics.
Doctors said they didn't deal with dental issues. When she begged to be seen they offered her an appointment in two days time. She ended up being driven around our city by my aunt in an effort to get anyone to help her.
111 sent her to A and E who gave her Oramorph, codeine and tramadol.
After a week the pain hadn't let up so she had to repeat the whole episode again. A different dentist packed it, more antibiotics from doctor and another trip to A and E
She has given birth without pain relief twice and said she do that any day of the week over dry socket. You have my absolute sympathy.

Bone exposed in the socket is normal for a dry socket. That's what a dry socket is, when you lose the clot and you get exposed bone. That's why dressing it helps, because you no longer have a dry socket. It's not bad dentistry.

The pain sounds normal for dry socket, what's not normal is it being so bad after dressing. I'm wondering if it needs better debridement.

Antibiotics don't normally help dry socket because it's not infected, its inflammation of the bone. They will clear up the infection but not necessarily the pain.

It sounds horrendous OP, sorry you are going through this

@bluecornishpixie I'm not sure what debridement is ?
The dry socket was infected also my jawbone which was left exposed after the extraction. Not the jawbone exposed in the dry socket but my actual jawbone which had all the skin ripped off. This is along the gum line inside my mouth under the tongue area so my jaw bone is exposed. Infection got along there too.

It's the cleaning it out prior to dressing. Sometimes loose bone can cause these symptoms

I think a dentist needs to cover your exposed bone, because it sounds like you've got 'dry socket' of that exposed bone and its not going to do until that bit of bone is covered. They need to either suture it over or make a plate to cover it until it heals. Do you have a dental hospital near you? If you do I would go there.

I can't believe they left exposed bone not in the socket in the first place!

Do you take any medications at all?

@BlueCornsihPixie I've had dressings put on three times to cover the bone in exposed socket. I had a full head xray in A&E. I've been told it's another week to heal. I have painkillers plus more antibiotics. I have to sit and wait it out. There is no dental hospital near me unfortunately. I've seen hospital dental surgeon in A&E who prescribed painkillers plus 4 other dentists. I have to wait til it heals and suffer basically.

You need the exposed bone not in the socket covered?

@BlueCornsihPixie they wont cover it. They have said it will cause problems but gum should grow back over. I was told by hospital the tooth should have been scalpeled either side then this would not have happened. I know one thing if anyone is reading this thread. My personal advice is don't phone 111 go to A&E if your dentist is closed.

Hi @sitdowncupoftea how are you getting on? Hope it's improved a bit.

Hi @Fakeflowersaremynewnormal thanks for asking.
Day 10 still got pain but not as bad. Im trying to cut down on codeine as its not good for you. I'm still on antibiotics and fed up of soup. I've basically ate liquid soup rather than anything with veg in as I'm terrified anything goes in the socket. I'm hoping it goes soon. The only benefit is I've lost weight after 10 days of barely eating I've lost 9 LB ! I'm sleeping with my head propped up in bed as toothache is always worse at bedtime. I'm not using the clove oil as apparently it can burn gums and hinder healing process. I'm rinsing with salt water 5 times a day and using cordysl twice a day. I cannot believe the pain from dry socket. I dont know why I got it as I dont smoke , not on any hormones etc and followed the aftercare. I have a checkup next week at dentist to assess it. I've been told to go back if it needs re packing. The hole is still not healed yet.

I was just thinking about you this morning, OP, and wondering how you were getting on. Glad to hear it’s a bit better. I had an extraction a few weeks ago and was really worried about the dreaded dry socket but thankfully it didn’t happen.

Glad it's improved a bit but it's taking so long it's awful.

I had a back tooth removed last Wednesday, suffered all weekend with horrendous pain and went to the dentist today to be told dry socket, he packed it with clove oil it worked but now the pains back! How long does this last?

@subwaysaladfan the OP has been told about 2 weeks but it depends on if you have an infection, you may need antibiotics. Also OP has a patch of exposed bone in her gum which may be making things worse. She said don't be afraid to go to hospital if you can't control your pain.