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Afraid and Now I Have Dry Socket

D

DemCakesIsTasty

Junior member
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
3
I have been following this site for some time as I have had a fear of the dentist for many years. I have, however, attended the dentist throughout my lifetime- albeit with some longer breaks when I’ve not prioritised it. I’m a 44 year old female who has had mixed experiences with dentists- my last extraction culminating in the dentist repeatedly bracing himself with his foot on the dental chair trying to remove a broken tooth from my upper jaw (unsuccessfully). This traumatised me so much, as I am just an 8 stone petite lady, and I felt so violated by that I had to have the broken roots removed via private twilight sedation. I couldn’t go through that again whilst awake.

Fast forward about 5 years to now. I break a tooth, a back bottom left molar (just before the wisdom tooth). I leave it because I know what’s coming, extraction. It becomes infected- I relent and see the dentist. Prescribed antibiotics, return on Wednesday (just gone), face my fears, and have the molar removed all in one piece, thank God. The hole is very big and deep,but dentist opts not to stitch. I go home, I lose the clot almost immediately. It doesn’t reform, the socket oozes a bit. I see emergency dentist Friday evening-she says it’s dry socket, not the worst she’s seen, but it’s a very deep hole.

Now, this is where I’m freaking out now and if any dentists could please advise me and allay my fears I’d be so very grateful. I’ve lost almost a stone in weight from not being able to eat and from unbelievable pain pre and post extraction that I’m just terrified what’s coming next @Gordon

The dentist put a lot of the clove tasting fibrous packing into the hole, after scratching the bone in the socket “to agitate it” to get it to heal. She told the nurse she needed a lot of the packing as the hole is very deep. She then told me to bite down on a piece of rolled up gauze for 30minutes to press the treatment into the hole and clean regularly with salt water. That was it, sent on my way.

Now, Friday night was great because I could finally eat without food going in the gaping hole. Yesterday was also find. Today, the pain is increasing and my jaw feels puffy. My questions are:

1) the packing was pressed deep into this hole, how will it ever make its way out?

2) should it be taken out? If so, when?

3) should I been seen by someone for aftercare for this or just let healing take place and the packing figure itself out?

Attached is an image of what I’m dealing with. I have some ulceration now on the side of the gum which wasn’t there prior to the packing. Thank you so much.
 

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1) the packing was pressed deep into this hole, how will it ever make its way out?
It doesn't need to your body's immune system will destroy it.

2) should it be taken out? If so, when?
No need.

3) should I been seen by someone for aftercare for this or just let healing take place and the packing figure itself out?
Assuming the pain is improving then leave it be. If it isn't then see a dentist again.
 
Thank you so much Gordon. I will just take it a day at a time then. Much appreciated.
 
I am actually one of the weird people who really liked the taste of the clove packing stuff. It was bitter initially, but afterwards it just became like chewing gum. Made my mouth feel infinitely fresher than it had of late. So if that allays anyone’s fears at all about it, then mark me down as someone who has no trouble with the fibrous texture or the flavour!
 
I think you're the first person I've ever heard say that :-)
 
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