Panicked

[Caligirl]

Help!! I had a wisdom tooth pulled and a molar on Thursday and today is Saturday. I see a white film in the socket is this normal?? My biggest fear is the dentist because I am in fear of my tongue and throat being numb because it feels like I am going to choke on my tongue and die.. I know it sounds crazy but I FEAR the dentists because I CANNOT be NUMB..I have to go back in a few weeks and get 2 more wisdom teeth taken out ( Insurance only allows 2 teeth at a time) I am very scared again. I was so scared I for a week I went into a little depression..Now I have a fear of dry socket and not sure how long does it take if the clot falls out will I know? And how long before I will feel pain? I sneezed last night and felt something squishy with my tongue.. If it came out would I feel dry socket already?? I have only had puddings and mashed potatoes so it cant be food in there.. HELP!!! I have so many questions and my surgeons office is closed.

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,
The white layer you mentioned is probably fibrin, a substance released after extraction and it is perfectly normal.
I wouldn't worry about small sensations you feel. If a complication does take place, it would be painful, so as long as you don't feel extreme pain you can assume it is OK.
The fear of the numbness at the tongue is very normal, many people share this fear. Still, it is worth mentioning that there is no danger and no chance of chocking. Having said that, it might be challenging to anesthesia the lower tooth without the tongue. Theoretically speaking, it is possible to anesthesia only the tooth without the surrounding tissues, but it is not easy and sometimes requires special devices. You can ask your dentist if there is an option for it. If not, I would try to find a way to cope with the anesthesia feeling of the tongue. There are ways to cope with it, for example: the anesthesia effects only half the tongue, so the other half feels normal, so to concentrate on the "normal" half.

Hope it helped a bit

 

[Caligirl]

Thank You Dr. Daniel. I do feel a little relieved but I ate some Top Ramen noodles and wondering if it gets stuck up in the hole.. I have been doing the salt water rinses but scared that will dislodge it.. Very frustrating... When am I in the clear of getting dry socket? It has been a little over 2 days now.. I had an infection in the molar and I was put on Amoxicillan 500.. I talked to my surgeon and he mentioned that he could somewhat just numb the tooth. I have to still go back and have the upper right and lower wisdom removed. I dread going through all this again. The swelling of my molar is annoying and it is reddish purple..How long before I can eat normal food without the fear of food getting lodged in there?? Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away and I don't want to miss out..

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Thank You Dr. Daniel. I do feel a little relieved but I ate some Top Ramen noodles and wondering if it gets stuck up in the hole.. I have been doing the salt water rinses but scared that will dislodge it.. Very frustrating... When am I in the clear of getting dry socket? It has been a little over 2 days now.. I had an infection in the molar and I was put on Amoxicillan 500.. I talked to my surgeon and he mentioned that he could somewhat just numb the tooth. I have to still go back and have the upper right and lower wisdom removed. I dread going through all this again. The swelling of my molar is annoying and it is reddish purple..How long before I can eat normal food without the fear of food getting lodged in there?? Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away and I don't want to miss out..

According to the textbook, the first stage of healing is ended after 6-7 days and then there is no danger of any complication. In practice, the first three days are the risky ones for a dry socket.
The socket (were the extracted tooth was) is a deep groove (that's why food get stuck there) and will remain deep for a couple of days (up to two weeks) so there is still a chance some food gets caught there until the tissue changes its form.

 

[carole]

Hi this link might help with what to eat while you are healing

Soft Food Ideas

Lots of soft food ideas for recovering after tooth extractions or other dental procedures, or when you have dental problems.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Good luck and all the best for your future appointments

 

[Caligirl]

Thank you again Dr. Daniel, Today is the 4th day. It still feels a little weird. I go back in 3 days for post op. will let u know how it goes..

According to the textbook, the first stage of healing is ended after 6-7 days and then there is no danger of any complication. In practice, the first three days are the risky ones for a dry socket.
The socket (were the extracted tooth was) is a deep groove (that's why food get stuck there) and will remain deep for a couple of days (up to two weeks) so there is still a chance some food gets caught there until the tissue changes its form.