Pain associated with oral surgery is not always limited to swelling and minor bleeding. If you notice excessive amounts of bleeding and throbbing pain near your jawline more than 48 hours after your oral surgery, you may be experiencing a condition known as dry sockets.
What are dry sockets? After oral surgery, while your surgery site is healing, a blood clot forms to protect the wound. If this blood clot becomes dislodged or falls out, your surgery site will be left exposed. This loss of blood clot is known as a “dry socket”.
How can I avoid dry sockets? By taking proper care of your mouth after oral surgery, you can help avoid dry sockets. You first day after oral surgery should be limited to liquids and pureed smooth foods. Appropriate foods for your first day after surgery should include water, vitamin enhanced shakes (like Ensure, Boost or Slim Fast), cream or broth based soups or soft canned vegetables pureed in a blender with milk to make them very thin, pudding or ice cream pureed in a blender with milk or plain yogurt and milk pureed in the blender. By keeping you mouth on a soft diet the first day after oral surgery, you will create an ideal environment for the blood clot to form.
On the second day of oral surgery recovery, you will notice a vast improvement in swelling and pain, but don’t let this confidence fool you. Be sure to still rely on soft foods that do not require chewing before swallowing. On day two, you can most likely move to small pieces of gelatin that can slide down your throat, small bites of scrambled eggs or small bites of very soft canned fruits such as pears or peaches.
You are most likely to experience dry sockets on days three through five. Your blood clot over the surgery site is well formed now, and with the increase of a substantial diet, may become dislodged if healing time is not allowed. Be sure not to touch the surgical site with your tongue or finger.
On days two through seven, be sure to use a salt water mouth rinse of 1/4tsp. of salt to 8oz. of warm water at least two to the three times daily. Be sure not to swish the salt water solution. Just allow the water to rest on the surgery site, and then dribble out. It is important to keep your mouth clean after surgery to reduce chances for infection in the surgical site. Limited tooth brushing may also be done carefully, without a spitting motion.
Allow yourself time to rest and heal. You may feel physically great by day three, but your mouth is still healing. Give it a chance to fully recuperate. Continue to rely on a soft diet, the care instructions provided by your doctor no heavy lifting or exercising.
What are the symptoms of dry sockets? If you experience a distinct area of pain near the surgery site more than 24 hours after surgery, you may be experiencing in a dry socket. Throbbing pain along the jawline that extends to the ear or to your other teeth may also be indicators of a dry sockets. The presence of excessive bleeding (small amounts of blood are normal during recovery), a blood clot in your mouth and these pain symptoms should be responded to immediately.
What should I do if I think I have dry sockets?
If you suspect that you may have a dry socket after oral surgery, report your conditions to your doctor immediately. They will work you into their schedule as soon as possible to help alleviate your pain.
