Dry socket

[amanda1252]

I had a lower back molar extracted on Friday and by Sunday there was a lot of swelling and the pain had increased. I thought that it was normal so waited until Tuesday (yesterday) to visit the dentist where I was told that I had an infection and also dry socket.

The dentist cleaned the socket and applied some packing which gave instant relief. I was also given 5 days antibiotics (Metronidazole).

I noticed when I got home that my gum line is beneath what I assume to be my jaw socket (exposed bone along the inside edge)which explains why my tongue has been sore when talking and eating. The dentist did not mention this when I was there yesterday.

The pain was manageable during the night however it has got much worse this morning radiating to my ear and front teeth. The packing feels like it is going to fall out and I terrified that if it does then the pain will be much worse.

Has anyone else had the top of the socket bone exposed? Will the gum grow over it in time? Am I open to getting a bone infection?

I am really scared and don't know what to do, I am still performing salt washes and taking Ibuprofen and Paracetamol but the pain is not subsiding. How much longer will this go on for?

TIA

 

[Gordon]

Will the gum grow over it in time? Am I open to getting a bone infection?

Yes. No.
if it's a really bad dry socket it may take a few trips back to the dentist to sort it. Get back on the phone.

 

[amanda1252]

Thanks Gordon, Is the exposed bone at the top of the socket (where my tongue is rubbing) what is causing the pain because it is not covered? Or, is it truly caused by the bottom of the socket?

I am so anxious that I am not sure if I also have some TMJ going on which is just making things worse.

Can I re-apply Alveogyl myself if I irrigate the socket with salt water first? Or will I need to just persevere with trips to/from the dentist (worried about pain over the weekend)

 

[Gordon]

Thanks Gordon, Is the exposed bone at the top of the socket (where my tongue is rubbing) what is causing the pain because it is not covered? Or, is it truly caused by the bottom of the socket?

Could be either or even both, sorry.

Can I re-apply Alveogyl myself if I irrigate the socket with salt water first?

Have you got any? If you can manage to see what you're doing then you won't do any harm by a DIY approach.

 

[amanda1252]

Hi Gordon, I have ordered some which should be delivered today. I contacted the dentist and they advised that they will not repack until tomorrow as they think I need to wait for the antibiotics to take effect. The pain has eased a little today and some of the original packing is still in place so will continue with the pain meds and salt water washes for now.

Do you know how soon I could start to use Chlorohexidine? I don't want to aggravate the dry socket but my gums and tongue are very sore.

Thanks

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 I have a dry socket yesterday I had it packed with paste on Tuesday how are you feeling here to chat if you need a fried

 

[amanda1252]

@Lucy maiden I hope you are not in too much pain! I am sorry that you are also suffering with the awful dry socket .

My dry socket was also packed on Tuesday and I also started antibiotics. Some of the packing fell out this morning but there is still a small amount present which I am dreading falling out.

Tuesday was great, I had immediate relief after the packing but yesterday was horrendous, I was begging the dentist to repack but they insisted I wait until tomorrow at the earliest.

I have had much less pain today although I still need the Ibuprofen and Paracetamol to manage the pain but at least they are now having some effect. I will see how I feel tomorrow and decide if I need to return to the dentist for further packing.

I still have quite a lot of swelling and redness around the extraction site but hopefully 2 more days of antibiotics will help sort that out.

How is your journey going?

 

[amanda1252]

@Gordon I have noticed that as well as my dry socket pain (right back lower molar), I sometimes feel like I have toothache extending from my ear and across the top/bottom teeth on the whole right side and also my 2 lower front teeth. Sometimes the pain is so bad that the painkillers do not work. I have tried icing which has some effect but a hot water bottle helps more.

I do find that if I lay down and let my lower jaw relax the pain dissipates - do you think I also have TMJ?

I do clench my teeth when I am stressed (this whole experience has been very stressful) I am terrified of the dentist and needed diazepam to even get me through the door. I needed 4 injections because I was not numbing (they managed to numb my eyelid though and I could not blink until the anaesthetic worse off which was also another cause for worry for me) and then the extraction took quite a long time. Then of course the stress of dry socket has just made my anxiety escalate.

When I first wake up I can feel the generalised dry socket pain/ gum pain but once I am up and about doing my daily routine the whole right-side flares up and I feel like I have toothache everywhere.

I am trying to relax my jaw as much as I can but this whole experience is so stressful it is hard to not worry about if the pain will ever go away.

 

[Gordon]

I do find that if I lay down and let my lower jaw relax the pain dissipates - do you think I also have TMJ?

Sounds like your TMJ is having a whinge at you, yes. You're doing the right things, so it will get better fairly soon.
Keep working with the hot compresses and try to not obsess over it, easy to say, hard to do!

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 my packing has just come out not sure how much because haven't looked.

last week was awful I had the tooth extraction done Monday morning at 9am ( the roots were curved but the tooth extraction went fine and was straightforward the whole tooth came out in one and was just like my other tooth extraction i had a long time ago very quickly done and painless just the normal pulling feeling) first few days felt normal kind of pain level but never got any better only worse.

pain was unbearable by the Friday/Saturday
I had it packed Tuesday and an x-ray done about an hour later wasn't really in any pain and didn't need any painkillers that day but Wednesday the pain came back but at a much lower level thankfully and with paracetamol I've been able to feel comfortable. I haven't eaten anything since some packing come out I'm only on soup and soft food and eating on the other side.
I've also been taking amoxicillin that my dentist prescribed. My molar was also right lower back (last but one) and the pain has been all in my right cheek , under cheek and my top teeth on that side to the ache sore stinging pain was basically all my right side it was horrendous I'm really hoping with the packing now coming out that it doesn't go back to that, if it does I'm going to have to go and have it repacked
But I am hoping now that I am over the worst and I hope you are to. I'm sorry your suffering but just think at least we have had it out now and we're this far down the line and once the pain stops and it will eventually we can enjoy the sunshine while it lasts and a nice ice cream

How are you this afternoon?

 

[amanda1252]

@Lucy maiden the pain is improving but I am still taking a lot of pain killers. I have a tiny but of packing left in the socket and I am also worried about it falling out and going back to the same pain level over the weekend.

I did see my dentist this morning and I was hoping that they would repack so I wouldnt have a weekend of misery but they said there is no need as there is still some packing there and to persevere with pain killers and salt water rinses.

Apparently my infection is clearing well, however, I still have lots of swelling and the bone from the top of my socket is exposed on both sides which is more annoying than anything else.

I agree with you, soon we can have some nice food, some icecream and a G&T .

I think we are both probably over the worse now. Hope you continue with your recovery and have a good weekend.

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 if it gets bad over the weekend would you go to an emergency appointment or wait untill Monday and call your dentist ? The thought of the weekend coming worries me to
But I am hoping we're heading in the right direction now.
Yes I'm still taking painkillers I'm glad the infection is clearing for you shows it's going to plan now!
The more times we have the dentist clean the socket out and pack it does it set back the healing at all? Im not sure.

 

[amanda1252]

@Lucy maiden I dont know if packing delays healing. I had dry socket years ago and my dentist then repacked every 2 days for a week so the pain was minimal. I dont remember how long it took to heal.

I am away this weekend so really hoping it does not flare up as I will have to wait until Monday. Fed up that I cannot even have a few drinks because of the antibiotics they gave me (metrondiazole apparently reacts bad with alcohol). I thought I would have been well on the way to healing by now with the potential of dry socket past me but seems not to be the case. Hoping to at least have some decent food by tomorrow night as I am sick of soup and yogurt!

Keep me posted on how your journey is progressing. I am sorry you are going through this but it is also good to know I am not the only one.

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 well try to enjoy your weekend away and stay positive on the healing road.

Yes please also keep me posted on how your are feeling over the weekend when possible please.

Well you recovered and healed nicely from a dry socket before so will you again time and patience is key but we always want things sorted right away don't we and that's not always the case unfortunately

Just think you will be able to have a few drinks once your all better and I'm sure you will enjoy them it can also be a celebration of putting this awful time behind you! I'll cheers you to that

I am eating the same, and the thought actually makes my hungar disappear now, really can't wait to be back to normal again.

Be kind to yourself and positive vibes it's not forever only a short period.

Go and enjoy your weekend best you can!

 

[amanda1252]

@Lucy maiden how are you today?

I feel so much better, not sure if it is because I am away this weekend and doing something different so it has taken my mind off my things and I have not been obsessing as much.

I have only had 2 ibuprofen when I first woke up and have managed without so far.

The toothache pain has almost gone, my biggest problem now is my gum is so sore. Maybe it always was but I didnt notice it too much because the dry socket pain was much much worse.

Hope you are also seeing some improvement today?

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 I'm so glad your feeling much better , I haven't had any paracetamol yet today the pain has eased down and I've been able to go without.
I hope this means that the pain is now easing for good. What's your socket look like now have you looked?

It's nice to read your able to enjoy your weekend away my husband has said once this is over he's taking me away to celebrate it's been a horrible 2 weeks

 

[amanda1252]

@Lucy maiden Great to hear that you have also managed to avoid pain killers. Hope your husband is taking you away somewhere nice.

My husband and I go on holiday on 19th July so I am really hoping that I am close to normal by then!

I think my socket still looks the same as it did when I first had the tooth extraction (9days ago) funnily enough I still have some packing in there which is now stressing me out because the dentist said it would go after 2-3 days and it has now day 5.

My gum is very sore, I have some exposed socket but I am sure there is a piece trying to work its way through my gum (it bled a tiny bit last night)

How is your socket? I think you had your extraction a few days before me.

 

[Lucy maiden]

@amanda1252 well I guess it looks how it should but I'm really not sure what it's supposed to look like it's exposed but doesn't look to bad in all honesty I'm 2 weeks tomorrow but I didn't go back to see my dentist untill a week and a day after the extraction because I thought pain was probably normal because this was the first lower tooth I've ever had removed.

The gum will get better give it time there is a lot of healing left to do but it all disappears slowly and things do get better.

Not everything is always plain sailing things happen but main thing is we're healing everything is delayed healing but its healing.

I've still got some packing in there but I'm not worried over it , look at it like this while some still in there hopefully it's protecting it a little bit and aiding our recovery it will eventually work itself out

I think you will feel better by your holiday your already feeling better and its still early days

 

[amanda1252]

@Gordon it has been 6 days since my dry socket was packed. The toothache pain has gone but my gums are still very sore and still weeps blood occasionally (near where there was exposed bone socket).

A couple of questions I have:-
1. is some slight weeping of the upper socket/gum normal?
2. It feels like there is still some packing in there or could it be granulation/healing? It is hard to tell because it is brown/white (i thought it was food) but no matter how often I flush with salt water it does not change. If it is packing, will it eventually come out on its own? I am worried about the gum growing over it?
3. Can I use Corsodyl/Chlorohexidine mouthwash now as well as salt water or should I avoid the mouthwash?

Thanks for your help

 

[Gordon]

1. is some slight weeping of the upper socket/gum normal?

Yes, no need to worry about that.

2. It feels like there is still some packing in there or could it be granulation/healing? It is hard to tell because it is brown/white (i thought it was food) but no matter how often I flush with salt water it does not change. If it is packing, will it eventually come out on its own? I am worried about the gum growing over it?

If it's the packing stuff then it'll be resorbed (eaten away) by your bone cells when the gum grows over it, don't worry about it.

3. Can I use Corsodyl/Chlorohexidine mouthwash now as well as salt water or should I avoid the mouthwash

If you want, on one proviso, have you ever shown signs of allergic reaction to Chlorhexidine? If so then it's a very bad idea to get it near a boney socket.