Dry socket is a dental phenomena that sometimes takes place after you have your wisdom tooth extracted. The natural blood clot that protects the bone and tissues either does not form or disappears after it is formed. Normally, the natural pain of tooth extraction lessens with each day. In this dental complication the pain increases and becomes very intense. Over time it spreads to the ears and eyes.
How will you know that you have this condition?
There are mainly three ways you can make find out.
The first of these is the ever increasing pain that extends to the ears and eyes that are on the side where the extraction was done.
The second symptom is the bad taste at the extracted site and the bad smell given off by the mouth.
Thirdly, you will find the blood clot missing at the extracted site. The jaw bone is clearly visible there.
What causes this?
Nobody knows why this painful complication happens but there are known to be some factors that make this a lot more likely.
People who are careless about following the post operation guidelines stand a greater chance of getting this complication.
Smokers stand a greater risk of getting this condition. Smoking reduces the healing powers of the body. In addition the action of sucking while smoking can dislodge the blood clot.
Birth control pills taken by women are a major risk factor for them. The estrogen in the pills may have a role in disintegrating the blood clot. It is for this reason that women on pills undergo tooth extractions on days when estrogen levels are on the lower side.
People with a history of this condition are likely to get it again.
People with unclean mouths stand a higher risk of getting this complication
What are the available treatments?
There is as such no treatment for this condition. It is a complication where natural healing has been delayed. It will heal but will take its own time. All that can be done while it heals itself is to give medications to lessen the pain. Analgesics will not be enough. Stronger pain killers are given in the form of medicated packages that are inserted at the extracted site.
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