When you receive a dental extraction, you will be sent home with some very specific, detailed instructions for your aftercare. While you may think that some of these instructions are just gentle suggestions, we encourage you to think again. It is highly important that you take each step quite seriously to ensure the successful healing of your smile. As a result, you can avoid an uncomfortable and easily preventable problem called dry socket. Learn more!
What Is Dry Socket?
You will be happy to learn that this is not a very common problem but one that can occur nonetheless. When you receive your dental extraction, we remove the tooth from its socket. As a result, you return home without a tooth in addition to the natural formation of a clot within the opening. This clot is essential to healing. When left alone, it promotes healing and protects the bone and nerves beneath. If the clot somehow becomes disrupted or dislodged, dry socket may follow, commonly resulting in problems like infection and associated pain.
How Can I Prevent It?
You can prevent dry socket after your dental extraction by following our instructions carefully. The most important factors include safeguarding the area by choosing to avoid contact, remembering not to brush the area, remembering not to spit or make a sucking motion (these movements can dislodge the clot), and to avoid other risk factors like smoking. It’s very easy, so keep in mind that giving your smile the chance to heal requires only a gentle, thoughtful approach for a few days.
