Dry Socket is hell on earth

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#1 Post by **sonyablade** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:51 pm

Has anybody else been put through the torture of dry socket after extractions? I am currently going through it and it is the worst. I went back to the dentist yesterday and he stuck some stuff in there and it made it feel much better but I think it is starting to wear off now. I go back tomorrow for them to repack it. I am just curious if anybody has been throught this and how long did it take for the pain to stop?

#2 Post by **shinyam** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:02 pm

Hell is right. I thought the pain would go away by itself, so I didn't go to the dentist, but MY GOD. You are in for at least two more weaks of excruciating agony. Sorry. Did your dentist tell you not to use a straw, smoke, use mouth wash, or drink soda after the extractions. If you did any of those, you probabably increased your chances of getting a dry socket.

You're in for more pain, sorry. Just keep getting the treatment, I think you can even buy it from him so you can insert it yourself.

#3 Post by **sonyablade** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:09 pm

I rinsed with crest pro health mouthwash- I was so out of it when the dentist gave me the instructions I just remembered no straws. So when I got home and saw my ceramic uppers completely covered in dried blood (sick mental image) I rinsed. I soooo regret it now. I am going to recommend they print those instructions out to give to people because I couldn't remember anything when I got home. Probably because of the laughing gas. I just hope I don't become addicted to pain pills during this ordeal. I am normally the type to shun all medication but this pain is too much to handle- and I gave birth to 2 children- one of them 10lbs so I thought I could handle anything! Thanks for telling the truth though- it will be a week tomorrow.

#4 Post by **ShinySmile** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:25 pm

I had four dry sockets a couple of years ago, after getting wisdom teeth out! It's definitely not a fun experience to go through.

#5 Post by **sunluvr** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:35 pm

Oh yeah, I remember my dry socket like it was yesterday. Even though it was over a year ago...

What I remember most was when I went in to see if it was dry socket because it hurt so bad. They had me lean back in the chair so they could look and without saying a thing shoved that packing in there and I just about went through the roof.

Needless to say, for all you mothers out there, I think my second visit to have it re-packed was something like the first contraction of the second child? LOL

#6 Post by **Flora2006** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:40 pm

I've never had a dry sockey...yet...but I really hope your pain goes away soon!

#7 Post by **Shawnie** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:26 pm

I've never had dry socket but my boyfriend did when he had his wisdom teeth out. He had dry socket both times. He had two extracted one year and then a couple years later the other two. What bad luck for him to get dry sockt both times.

The second time was a couple of days before we were going away for a long weekend to Harrison Hot Springs in Canada. The dentist gave him the gauze with the medicine on it and a pair of forceps and said have your girlfriend (ME) take the old gauze out and stuff in the new gauze.

We both go to the same dentist, and she said I would have no trouble doing it. But I warn you if you do have someone do it that it's really hard to even see what is gauze and what is blood or tissue. I wasn't sure if I would be able to pull the right thing out without hurting my boyfriend, since he was in alot of pain even on the pain meds.

Well, I got the guaze out without hurting him, now you have to pack the new gauze in. I just kept lightly tapping it with the forcep till it filled up the hole. He said that I was even more gentle than the Dentist, and I did a great job. But boy was I sweating, having to do something I'd never done before and not wanting to hurt him.

I hope you start to feel better real soon. From my boyfriends experience all I can say is keep taking your pain medication. Take it as directed, don't wait till it wears off as then your in more pain. Everytime he thought he was fine the medication would completely wear off and he'd be in pain again. Best of luck to you - my boyfriend started to feel better after about a week.

Take Care
Shawnie

#8 Post by **jcdamon3** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:34 pm

I had the dry socket equivalent in a wound from abdominal surgery. I had to pack it until it healed - twice a day. So I can totally relate. Yes, it took about 10-14 days. When the doctor told me that I nearly passed out. I think I got it because I tried to do too much too soon after surgery.

I had my wisdom teeth out when I was sixteen and I could swear that I had a dry socket but I don't remember it being painful. I remember it was oozing alot but that is all I remember. Maybe I was on pain medication?

I hope you feel better soon. Don't blame yourself. These things just happen. The doctor told me it wasn't my fault, but I still speculate.

#9 Post by **rsprouse** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:54 am

Hi spammy,

Dry sockets are not pleasant. Sorry to hear that you have one. What has happened is that you have disturbed the blood clot that formed after the extraction and you have bone exposed. It is very painful (as you have seen) and there is not a lot that you can do to treat it other than frequent trips to the dentist until it heals. It could take a week or two for the pain to subside entirely. It is very important to follow the post op instructions given to you after an extraction to avoid them (no smoking, gargling, etc). Hang in there!!

Best,
Rory

#10 Post by **Kourtney Kitty** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:21 am

Dry sockets are the absolute worst! I had four of them when I had my wisdom teeth removed. After they packed my gums with medicated gauze, my mom gave me ice cream with chopped nuts in it, so the nuts went into the stitches and caused me SUPER EXCRUTIATING pain! I cried myself to sleep and I still get that feeling in my stomach when I think about it.

#11 Post by **sonyablade** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:04 pm

thanks for the support guys! I go back today for a "repacking" session in my 4 dry sockets!! PRAY FOR ME!!!

#12 Post by **LoobyLou** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:29 pm

Oh my goodness whatever this dry socket is it sounds absolutely hurrendous! I do hope that this pain goes away for you soon Sonyablade. I'm not exactly sure what it means though, could you explain it?
Keep taking the painkillers. take care...

Luv LoobyLou xx

#13 Post by **Super Soo** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:06 pm

I had three extractions and got dry socket in one of them. I totally feel what you are going through - it is a nightmare. The dentist packed mine with dried seaweed and squirted something in - this tasted like clove oil (yuk!) , it didn't half help....the pain totally went away, unfortunately by the next day I think I swallowed it in my sleep as it had disappeared!

Anyway, it does get better - I had pain for about 2 weeks in total

Good luck! x

#14 Post by **wearetheborg** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:19 pm

LoobyLou wrote:Oh my goodness whatever this dry socket is it sounds absolutely hurrendous! I do hope that this pain goes away for you soon Sonyablade. I'm not exactly sure what it means though, could you explain it?
Keep taking the painkillers. take care...

Luv LoobyLou xx

I'm no doc, but I think this is what happens - when they pull tooth out (think chop off top half of a finger), blood clots and forms a covering over the wound, so as to protect the underlying tissues and bone. The dried blood forms a plug where the tooth was(think bandage over chopped finger). Then tissues regenerate and slowly replace the clot.

If a person rinses mouth the first day, or sucks a straw, or smokes then the clot comes out, so the bone and all nerve endings are open. Think chopped finger with no bandage. It can be excruciating.
What dentists try to do is put some sort of plug in (bandage), but its way inferior to the dried bloot plug.

Unfortunately sometimes dry sockets happen for no apparent reason.

Sonyblade- I'm sorry for u. And a bit mad at the dentist - Really, they should give instructions before the surgery. Its quite common to get amnesia from the anaesthesia - I apparently was asking quite a few questions (coherently) after my surgery. Dont remember any of it.
But they had told me about the dry socket before, so I was very careful - only drank juice the first day, and didnt rinse at all. I would only take some water in my mouth and rotate my head to let the water all around, then let it dribble out

But since dry sockets can occur randomly, I was still petrified

#15 Post by **LoobyLou** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:52 pm

Oh my that makes my teeth go on edge just thinking about it. I do hope it doesn't last xx

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Dry Socket is hell on earth

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