Whether you’re having wisdom teeth removed, an infected tooth extracted, or treating some other issue, our team wants your recovery from oral surgery to go as smoothly as possible. Before your procedure, Dr. Clauser will talk you through what is going to happen and give you an idea what you can expect during recovery. After your procedure, our team will once again go over your instructions for recovery. Today, we want to give our patients some advice on avoiding dry sockets, a painful complication to oral surgery that can usually be avoided with the proper care.
What Are Dry Sockets?
After a tooth extraction, your body forms a blood clot over the extraction site to protect the nerve and bone underneath during the healing process. Unfortunately, these blood clots are fragile and can be dislodged, exposing the sensitive area underneath to infection. Not only can this be dangerous, it is often very painful.
How Can I Avoid Dry Sockets?
Carefully follow our instructions to decrease your risk of developing dry sockets. First, get plenty of rest after your surgery to enable your body to heal. Partaking in vigorous exercise before your body can heal can dislodge your blood clot(s).
Gently rinse your extraction site according to our instructions to keep it clean. You may be prescribed a special rinse to use, or we may recommend warm salt water, depending on the surgery. When you get hungry, avoid any hard foods – soup, mashed potatoes, and other soft foods are great options during recovery.
Most importantly, avoid using a straw until Dr. Clauser says you can. The suction created when using a straw can easily dislodge a blood clot. In fact, straw use is one of the most common reasons our patients develop dry sockets.
To ask our team any other questions about avoiding dry sockets or to schedule your next appointment, contact our office today!