Wisdom Tooth Extraction resulting in dry socket?

[KittyKat]

I had an upper wisdom tooth extracted yesterday and ended up in A&E in the early hours of this morning because it would not stop bleeding. It was bleeding a lot. Soaking through wads of gauze in seconds. I was advised by 111 to go to A&E. Before I went, about 3 hours after the extraction, I found a blood clot in my mouth. Obviously I was immediately worried the blood clot had dislodged but then I kept bleeding large clots from the socket into my mouth. At A&E they had me bite down on a medicated dressing to try to stop the bleeding and it did eventually stop, only I had another large blood clot hanging from the hole which actually extended down into my throat. It was like a long bit of bloody string but the nurse said a blood clot was attached to the other end at the extraction site. When I got home it had disappeared. I think the vibration of the car journey dislodged it. I've had dry socket before and the pain I'm experiencing is similar. Do you think I definitely have another dry socket because the blood clots kept coming loose from the hole or is there any chance another one formed? Why does this keep happening to me? I was so careful. I did nothing to dislodge the clot, it just fell out. Wouldn't it be sensible for dentists to suture the hole to prevent clots from falling out? Obviously with the Bank Holiday weekend I have no access to my dentist. Should I try and see an emergency dentist if I can?

 

[Gordon]

If the clot is breaking down then you're certainly at risk of a dry socket, especially if it's very painful. There will be emergency dentists available this weekend so you should try to see one if your pain is continuing.
Dry sockets are like being struck by lightning really, some people are just unlucky with them I'm afraid. Given your history though, any future extractions you should ask for the socket to be closed surgically to (hopefully) keep it from happening again.

 

[KittyKat]

Thank you so much for replying to me about this. The pain is tolerable at the moment, with painkillers, but it's only been 2 days since the extraction and I've read that it's typically on day 3 that the pain really kicks in. Although the last dry socket I had the pain was bad from the moment the numbness wore off on the first day. I hope I can get to see an emergency dentist if the pain gets worse. I will certainly get the dentist to close the socket surgically if I have any future extractions. I'm wondering if what possibly caused this one is the dentist didn't have me bite down on the gauze long enough after the extraction. It was about a minute and then she took it out and sent me on my way. She said it wasn't bleeding and a clot had formed but within a few minutes of riding home in the car I could feel it bleeding again and my mouth filling up with blood. Despite biting down for long periods of time on more wads of gauze the blood just kept pouring out and then the clots started appearing. When I had another wisdom tooth taken out I now recall the dentist (a different one) told me to keep biting down on the gauze for about 45 mins and I kept it in my mouth all the way home.

 

[Gordon]

Nope, dry socket is worst for the first 24 hrs, it's usually going by 72.
Some folks just seem to get very fragile clots, they just break up too easily, I've no idea why. Biting on gauze for more than a few minutes is normally not necessary, there's some risk that the clot forms an attachment to the gauze and then when you remove the gauze you damage the clot.
FWIW a tea bag (ordinary black tea, left to cool down) bitten into works well for stopping bleeding sometimes.

 

[KittyKat]

I did try the tea bag method. I think I must have damaged the clot by biting on too much gauze to try and stop it bleeding but it was bleeding a LOT. New clots seemed to keep forming but they were just falling out of the socket into my mouth all the time. Perhaps the hole was big enough to warrant stitching. I have read wisdom teeth extractions can bleed a lot. The pain is continuing. I'm taking painkillers but I am worried about infection. My last dry socket was infected and I needed antibiotics. My lymph nodes on the left side of my neck are a bit swollen. I have left a message on the emergency dental line for my area and I'm waiting for them to get back to me. Like I said, my main concern now is just whether it's infected or not. I didn't know whether to leave it another 48 hours until my dentist reopens but I know it's important to catch these things early if infection is present.