How to Prevent Dry Socket

When a dentist removes a damaged tooth from your mouth, you can anticipate some downtime to heal after the procedure. Your dentist will provide you with tips to care for your surgical sites as they recover. A blood clot forms naturally over these sites.

Make sure you do not disturb this clot because if it dislodges or shifts, you could form dry socket. This painful condition will feel excruciating and require urgent attention from a dentist to repair it.

However, you can take measures to avoid this disruption to your recovery and protect your smile. Read on to find advice from your dentist in Media, PA to prevent dry socket after your tooth extraction procedure.

heal properly after tooth extraction procedure

Tips for Avoiding Dry Socket After Tooth Extraction

Practice Gentle Aftercare for Your Smile

When you return home after your procedure to extract one or more teeth, your dentist will give you guidelines about how to care for these areas of the mouth during your recovery. You will need to be gentle and careful around the surgical sites so that you do not disturb the healing blood clot. But you cannot avoid them completely when you clean your smile.

Make sure you brush and floss gently so that you do not harm the clot. You still need to keep your smile clean and healthy to reduce your risk of infection and prevent other dental issues from developing. Adhere to your dentist’s guidelines for best results.

Do Not Perform Sucking Motions with Your Mouth

When you suck with your mouth, you create a combination of muscle movement and airflow that could impact your healing blood clots at extraction sites. For this reason, your dentist will ask you to avoid using straws until these surgical sites heal, which could be a week or two.

They will also recommend stopping smoking during your recovery. The inhalation from this habit poses a similar threat to the clots. It can be easier to stop this habit as you heal if you cut back before your dental appointment. Ask your dentist for more advice before your procedure.

Stick to Soft-Textured Foods

You might notice soreness in your mouth when you return home from your appointment and the anesthetics wear off. Your dentist will provide you with pain management advice and will also ask you to stick to soft foods to protect your sites from dry socket.

Good foods that will not hurt your teeth or surgical sites include applesauce, mashed potatoes, yogurt, and oatmeal. Sticky, chewy, or hard foods could hurt your healing sites.

After 48 hours, your teeth might not feel so sore, and you can begin to try more solid foods. But if you feel pain when eating these, return to soft-textured foods until it no longer hurts.

If you do suffer from dry socket, do not hesitate to call your dentist for an emergency appointment. The problem will not go away on its own, and your dentist can swiftly resolve the issue in their office.