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Smoking after extraction questions

S

Skennedy2

Junior member
Joined
May 17, 2018
Messages
9
I finally got my extraction last Monday and while it took a few minutes to get out, it was painless and the dentist was wonderful! (The roots were curvy, hence the longer timeframe). Yesterday I had half a cigarette and today I had the other half. After each time I salt water rinsed. I am paranoid because while I have passed the time for dry socket, I keep seeing one particular quote pop up both in this website and others saying that smoking after an extraction is a high oral cancer risk because of how the smoke contacts and abosrbs into the area. Of course I know oral cancer is a risk of smoking whether there is a mouth wound or not but I just want to be on the safe side. I tried to keep gauze there while smoking but kept falling. My extraction site is healing with grayish, whitish, blackish granulation tissue and the hole is smaller. The gum on one side looks a little inflamed and is indeed sensitive. I just wanted to make sure I haven't done something very unwise even though it's 6 days post-extraction.
 
Thanks for your response, I have taken this opportunity to quit smoking. However, I regret the two that I did smoke yesterday. I was just seeing if there had been reports of oral cancer in people that smoked a few days after having an extraction. It had been 5-6 days after. I know I shouldn't have done it and it was stupid. I'm just scared, although I know I did it to myself.
 
Here is an older post to this topic, there is an advice from Dr.Daniel, also one of the dentist around:


Smoking is an addiction and I can imagine that it's not too easy to just stop altogether, especially in times of stress, which an extraction and the recovery after that is. Good to hear that you managed to wait as long as possible and still keep smoking as little as possible - hang on there. Hope you recover soon.
 
Thank you for the words of encouragement. It is hard to quit. I suffer from anxiety and smoking seemed to help, although I know it really doesn't. Im a 36 year old female and I've smoked maybe 15 years. Thanks for the link to the other thread. I am glad I didn't get dry socket, but I am still terrified about what I've read about the wound absorbing the smoke and cancer risk. Although there was granulation tissue covering it and no bleeding or anything, since It had been 5 days since the extraction. I am excited about quitting, to be honest.
 
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I would be surprised if you were the only patient who smoked after an extraction and I am absolutely sure that the relation between smoking and cancer is a bit more complex. Putting it straight: I don't think you will get cancer because of having smoked half of a cigarette per day on days 5 and 6.
Try not to worry about this too much (and not to expose yourself to materials that support your worries), give your best to cut off as much as possible or to quit (which you are already doing, that's great) and you will be fine. :XXLhug:
 
Thanks! I feel a bit better about it now. Quitting is going well so far. I do use an e-cig if I do get cravings. Overall the extraction site is feeling better. REALLY sensitive to cold right now but other than that, not bad. Part of the gum is still a little red but that is lessening. I want to thank you for taking the time to respond to my posts, you've been a tremendous help and support! And you are right, I visit Dr. Google way too often! I like the way you put it: exposing myself to materials that support my worries. I ask myself why I do that anytime I look something up.
 
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