Hi Broken Wings,

When an extraction site is still "very" painful after the 3rd day of the extraction, then it could indicate a dry socket which needs to be treated by the dentist. The white around her gums could be plaque or rum tissue that is sloughing off. What is she rinsing with??

Lightly salted warm water is all that is needed to rinse with. Too much salt will blanch the tissue causing it to be sore and appear white. NO mouthwash, especially anything like Listerine as this will cause further irritation and could even burn the surgical area.

Sometimes small lesions like canker sores develop around an extraction site. These can be appear white and/or red. If she is sucking on any hard candy, she should stop because that will not only create irritation and dislodge the clot, but the sugar can slow down the healing.

If her gums in general are white, then it could be an accumulation of plaque along the gumline .... a yeast infection called thrush which can occur when taking Doxycycline and needs to be treated .....over rinsing with too much salt and/or mouthwash.

It is best for her to see her dentist to diagnose the problem just in case it is something that needs to be treated now rather than later.

Bryanna