Do I Have To Worry About Dry Socket

How long do I have to worry about dry socket?

I'm a dentist.

Dry socket typically develops between four to six days post-operatively.

Since you are three weeks post-op, you have no chance of getting dry-socket. In fact, if you look back at the extraction sites, you may not even be able to tell that you had teeth taken out--assuming that your teeth were impacted. Inside the mouth, most things heal completely within three weeks.

How long do I have to worry about a dry socket?

It's been a full 96 hours since extraction of tooth 18, and I'm getting nervous. I know I'm almost in the clear for the dreaded dry socket...how much longer to I have to be so anxious about it. It looks like it could be a dry socket, and I have a pretty crappy taste in my mouth, but I have nearly no pain (at least nothing that 400mg of Ibuprofen hasn't taken care of). I'll go into the dentist tomorrow for a check up, but in the mean time I'm an anxious wreck wondering if I've developed dry socket or not. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that just because it looks like it might me a dry socket, it isn't necessarily so.
Thanks.

Do I have dry socket?

I had 3 wisdom teeth removed yesterday. Two seem to be healing normally but one extraction site seems to have a hole. The hole is dark red/black but I can't tell if its a blood clot or dry socket. Could it be that its just a stitch that busted open? Do blood clots form all the way up to the top of the wound or can they look like a hole? because right now there is a clear hole... but from what I've read online most dry sockets look like bone, I am really not a professional so I have no idea what I should or shouldn't be looking for. All I know is that it hurts. I am very worried of developing an infection. The two other extraction sites have no hole, so I can't compare them to each other.... please help!!

Do I have dry socket?

SOME IMPORTANT INFO. ON DRY SOCKET:
Summary
Dry socket is a condition characterized by severe pain after a tooth extraction. The pain generally begins a day or two following the extraction and can last for one to several weeks. It occurs when the blood clot that protects the tooth socket (alveolus) either does not form normally or is dislodged, leaving the bony socket open and exposed.

Dry socket is more likely to occur following the extraction of teeth on the lower jaw than the upper jaw and is most common after wisdom teeth are extracted. Dry socket occurs most commonly in people with diabetes, people who smoke and women, especially those taking oral contraceptives.

The severe pain of dry socket typically radiates out from the site of extraction and cannot be relieved by over-the-counter painkillers. If the extracted tooth was on the lower jaw, there is usually additional pain around the ear on the side of the extraction. Dry socket may also cause bad breath, a bad taste in the mouth and spasms in the jaw muscles.

Treatment of dry socket is generally very effective in reducing the pain while the tooth socket heals. X-rays may be performed to look for additional complications, such as fragments of the tooth that may remain in the socket. To treat dry socket, a dentist rinses the affected tooth socket to remove any debris. Then, a medicated dressing containing analgesics and antiseptics is lightly packed into the open socket. This helps to relieve pain, prevent bacterial or fungal infection or other forms of irritation, and prevent food particles from building up in the socket. The dressing will be replaced daily or more frequently if necessary.

One major aspect of prevention is risk assessment before tooth extraction. The dentist or oral surgeon will compile a thorough medical and dental history to evaluate the patient’s risk of developing dry socket. If the risk is high, a dentist may choose a method of tooth extraction designed to cause less trauma. Dentists also frequently recommend a professional dental cleaning before the tooth is extracted to ensure that plaque and tartar levels are at a minimum. Gentle tooth brushing and mouth rinses are typically recommended for seven days after the extraction. Patients are usually told to avoid rinsing their mouths vigorously for at least the first day.
THE BAD TASTE MAY INDEED BE FROM THE DRY SOCKET.

When can i stop worrying about Dry Socket?

hi I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed on Thursday morning and its been 5 days I have been following all the rules and have had no pain thus far but im still really worring about getting dry socket when can i stop worrying??

If I get a dry socket, will I know?

I got 2 of my wisdom teeth extracted today from the right side of my jaw. The lower one was impacted so they dug it out and sewed me back up with non-dissolvable sutures but I think the top one was more or less just pulled (there's a hole there).

I'm really worried about getting dry socket as they're apparently very,very painful so I was curious if the minute the clot fell out, I'd be able to tell? Even if I'm currently medicated with Tylenol 3 w/codeine? Would it take a few days to be able to tell? I ask because I ate an ice cream cone and am worried whether or not the motions of eating it may have dislodged a clot in my upper jaw.

Do I need to worry about getting a dry socket 6 days after wisdom teeth removal?

..*Some people can mistake normal pain associated with the extraction to be a dry socket which in reality isn't. *With any extraction there can be pain around the area, and that is normal. *Pain that is growing worse over time associated with a really bad odor / taste in the mouth is not typically normal.
..I find dry sockets tend to occur anywhere from 5-7 days after the extraction. *After that the likelihood of it happening is fairly rare. *You can help avoid a dry socket by not rinsing too aggressively. *This helps prevent dissolving the protective blood clot. *Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and rinsing with alcohol containing mouth rinses. *Get plenty of rest, food, and liquids. *Avoid eating over the socket area if possible. *Do not suck or blow through a straw or blow your nose too aggressively. *Some people advise rinsing gently with a salt water mixture which helps keep bacteria levels down. *Personally I just tell people to try to avoid rinsing too much at all.

smoke
have poor oral hygiene
have wisdom teeth pulled
have greater than usual trauma during the tooth extraction surgery
use birth control pills
have a history of dry socket after having teeth pulled
Rinsing and spitting a lot or drinking through a straw after having a tooth extracted also can increase your risk of getting dry socket.