How long until the very bottom of a wisdom tooth socket heals over?

I just had 4 wisdom teeth removed one day ago and have been very paranoid about dry sockets. I have been taking really good care and even was scared to swallow saliva the first day (I didn't spit though don't worry)! I was wondering what the average time was for the parts of a dry socket that causes pain (the exposed bone and nerves at the bottom) to have enough tissue covering it so I don't have to worry about dislodging of or dissolving of the blood clots? I also heard that sockets heal from the bottom up? I am not that worried about how long it will take for the socket to fully close and smooth out as I know that can take months to years. I also know everyone heals differently but an average amount of days would be a nice answer.


This is also another question but I really would like the first one answered, this is just a curiosity. Do blood clots get harder and stronger as each day passes? A blood clot in a socket is just a scab, what keeps it binding to the gum so well when our gums are constantly wet and not have it sliding out? Because I can imagine if a scab from a knee scrape is always exposed to water, it will eventually get soggy and peel off. What is the consistency of the blood clot, is it fairly solid all around or is it fairly solid in the center and on the outside of it is liquid blood? If a blood clot was NOT fully-disrupted through a sip of water or an accidental sucking motion from rinsing, would it slide back in and coagulate again?

Hey
The "danger period" for getting a dry socket is 48h, unless there are health issues that prolong the healing process.
It is a very nice question. Mechanicly speaking, the blood clot is not a smooth and conus like shape, but is has all kind of knobels grooves and irregularities that hld it to the socket. There is also a bit of vaccum effect that holds the clot.

By safe zone do you mean that the exposed nerves and bone are healed after 48 hours or is it just that the blood clot is more coagulated/stronger by 48 hours? Thanks for clearing things up Doctor. I was reading online of posts about what the "safe zone" from a dry socket was and the differences in days were too drastic. Some people said 48 hours, some people said 3-5 days, some people even said they get dry sockets on the 6th day. Is it also safe to assume that, as long as you still have that slight dull pain from extraction (without increasing intensity), you are still at risk of a dry socket, because if the bottom is healed over it wouldn't still be aching right?

Does the socket heal from the bottom up or does a piece of tissue grow over the blood clot and then heal from there? I just ate and there is a piece of food stuck right on top of the blood clot, I can see the blood clot under it but I do not want to risk dislodging it. Should I wait until the blood clot falls out so the food falls out with it? I am scared that the new tissue will grow over the food and blood clot, but if sockets heal from the bottom then I am not worried. I read online that people grow a layer over the sockets. My clots are all the way to the top, not to the bottom I don't have a hollow hole.

Hey
Yes, there is so much information and differnt opinions on the internet. The thing is that there are no strict laws about it. For example, according to the text books, a wound healing process lasts seven days, but in reality it takes longer.
Regarding your situation, I think you are on a very good track. Regarding the food, you can wait a bit with it, you can try to take it very carefully out with a sterile pincet but only if it is visible and accesable. Otherwise, your dentist can do it for you.
Sockets heal according to the bloodsuply. The areas that are closer to the bloodvessels get faster the cells and materials needed for the healing.