Hi... This is a bit long...sorry

I had my wisdom tooth out on 12/26/12.

I felt fine the day of the surgery and the day after (Thursday.)

Friday, I started to get a dull throb in my jaw and it got slightly worse Saturday and Sunday.

Scoured the internet for what this could be - read all about dry socket and concluded I didn't have it because I wasn't in agony like other people I had read about. Assumed it was jaw pain from rough handling during surgery or because of my age (late 30's.)

Went to the dentist this past Monday (12/31) just to be sure. He looked in my mouth and said I had the "beginnings" of dry socket.

He packed my socket with the clove gauze stuff - didn't irrigate the socket first... He told me I didnt need to come back in until the following Monday. it fell out the next morning. Spent Tuesday in pain..not excruciating, but definitely annoying. Went back to the dentist Wednesday. He packed my socket again and told me that it was looking "a bit" better. He said I shouldn't need to be packed again, because "4 out of 5 of his patients only need to be packed once."

I have scoured the internet...I know what dry socket is, what causes it, etc. I guess my problem is that I cant put the pieces of the information I have found together.

Here are my questions:

1. The "beginnings" of dry socket - How long does this last? I would assume Friday (12/28) was the beginning. This is when the pain began. By Monday (12/31) the pain was basically still the same. How long does it take for dry socket to reach peak pain? Do I have to worry about this getting way more painful?

2. This packing that the dentist put in yesterday (1/2/13 at 1pm) - How long am I supposed to keep it in there? It seems to be dissolving and the top few layers have fell out. I dont want to get an infection. Their office is closed until next Monday (I have an appointment that day) - should I try to keep it in that long or will I get an infection?

3. Does this clove oil/gauze packing hinder or help the granulation process? Being as that I am not in agonizing pain, should I forgo the packings and just ride it out? I am under the impression (and please, correct me if I am wrong) that the packing is only for pain relief. Does it actually do anything to help heal my gums?


4. The dentist prescribed me yet another round of Clindamycin "as a precaution." Because my wisdom tooth was infected and impacted, I was already on antibiotics - I just finished the last one Tuesday (1/1/13). And I had to take them in November too. Due to an anaphylectic (sp?) reaction I had to an antibiotic when I was younger, I get severe panic attacks when I have to take antibiotics. If there is no infection (confirmed by dentist) do I REALLY need to take another round of Clindamycin? It will be my 3rd one in 6 weeks and I dont want to go through the anxiety again, or deal with potential stomach issues.

Thank you for any insight you can give me

Hi Domingmak,

My answers are in BOLD.

1. The "beginnings" of dry socket - How long does this last? I would assume Friday (12/28) was the beginning. This is when the pain began. By Monday (12/31) the pain was basically still the same. How long does it take for dry socket to reach peak pain? Do I have to worry about this getting way more painful?

DRY SOCKETS USUALLY SHOW SYMPTOMS BY THE 3RD TO 4TH DAY POST OP EXTRACTION. THE PAIN CAN BE SEVERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS IF NOT TREATED.

2. This packing that the dentist put in yesterday (1/2/13 at 1pm) - How long am I supposed to keep it in there? It seems to be dissolving and the top few layers have fell out. I dont want to get an infection. Their office is closed until next Monday (I have an appointment that day) - should I try to keep it in that long or will I get an infection?

THE PACKING SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED BY THE PATIENT. IT DISSOLVES OR FALLS OUT ON ITS OWN. THE LONGER IT CAN STAY IN, THE BETTER. SOMETIMES IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED BY THE DENTIST 2-4 TIMES OVER A ONE TO TWO WEEK PERIOD... DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE CONDITION.

3. Does this clove oil/gauze packing hinder or help the granulation process? Being as that I am not in agonizing pain, should I forgo the packings and just ride it out? I am under the impression (and please, correct me if I am wrong) that the packing is only for pain relief. Does it actually do anything to help heal my gums?

THE MEDICATED PACKING REDUCES PAIN BECAUSE IT AIDS IN THE HEALING PROCESS. WHEN A DRY SOCKET OCCURS THIS MEANS THAT THERE WAS A DISTURBANCE WITH THE BLOOD CLOT AND THE BONE BECAME EXPOSED. IF THE BONE STAYS DRY THE AREA WILL NOT HEAL PROPERLY. SO IT DOES NEED TO BE EVALUATED EVERY FEW DAYS TO MAKE SURE IT IS HEALING.

4. The dentist prescribed me yet another round of Clindamycin "as a precaution." Because my wisdom tooth was infected and impacted, I was already on antibiotics - I just finished the last one Tuesday (1/1/13). And I had to take them in November too. Due to an anaphylectic (sp?) reaction I had to an antibiotic when I was younger, I get severe panic attacks when I have to take antibiotics. If there is no infection (confirmed by dentist) do I REALLY need to take another round of Clindamycin? It will be my 3rd one in 6 weeks and I dont want to go through the anxiety again, or deal with potential stomach issues.

I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING THE ANTIBIOTIC. DENTISTS TEND TO GIVE THESE OUT LIKE CANDY. HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON THE INITIAL INFECTION AND THE SEVERITY OF THE DRY SOCKET, YOU MAY NEED TO TAKE IT DURING THE INITIAL HEALING PHASE.

ARE YOU TAKING A PROBIOTIC? IT IS IMPERATIVE TO SUPPLEMENT WITH ONE DURING AND AFTER TAKING AN ANTIBIOTIC TO HELP REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF INTESTINAL UPHEAVAL THAT CAN OCCUR WITH ANTIBIOTICS. EATING YOGURT IS NOT ADEQUATE DUE TO THE LACK OF LIVE BACTERIA IN IT AFTER PROCESSING ... IT NEEDS TO BE IN SUPPLEMENTAL FORM.

WHEN YOU SEE YOUR DENTIST, ASK IF THERE IS INFECTION PRESENT. TELL HIM YOU'RE RELUCTANT TO TAKE ANOTHER ANTIBIOTIC UNLESS NECESSARY.

TRY NOT TO LET THIS WORRY YOU. I KNOW IT CAN BE A BIT SCARY... YOU WILL BE OKAY

PLEASE KEEP US POSTED ON HOW YOU'RE DOING.
BRYANNA

Hi!!

I had one tooth that already had a rootcanal done. but an infection underneath the root caused it to get infected again. after several courses of amoxicillin t was apperent that nothing would work. so I had it extracted. after a few days it started hurting insanely. even more than before. I did have a bloodclot but it had to be removed to clean out the socket. The tooth behind it also hurt, this one also had had a rootcanal in the past and a crown. and a dark spot underneath it. during the week i was treated for dry socket. and they gave me Metronidizole 400 mg to clear up the infected dry socket. seemed to get better at first. but now over a week after the extraction, other teeth in my mouth randomly start hurting. the one behind sometimes...some in front. some in my lower jaw ( the tooth extracted was the 1st molar on the left upper jaw) and some in the lower jaw on the other side aswell. they seem to taking turns. These teeth didnt hurt befor but have had work done on them. also cant really pinpoint which teeth are actually causing the problem. The actual dry socket seems to be doing fine at the moment.

Could the infected nerve just be the problem? ive been 3 weeks in pain and just want it to end....

Hi shimura,

All root canaled teeth are infected irrelevant of whether the infection shows radiographically or not. So in your case, the infection is showing on the xray as that black spot. Keep in mind that the black area is an infection in the jawbone. Why didn't the dentist remove both of these infected teeth instead of just the one?

All of the antibiotics in the world are not going to cure this infection. The tooth is the source of the infection and as long as the tooth is present, the infection will be present. The mouth is very vascular and infection travels easily through the blood stream. This should be a concern for you and it should have been explained to you by your dentist.

It is common to have what is called "referred pain" when there a lot of inflammation inside the jawbone. Sometimes people will have a visible swelling, sometimes not.

This is not something to let go because it will get worse. Talk to your dentist about removing your root canaled teeth if you want to rid yourself of chronic infection. Also discuss replacement options with him if you want to replace them.

Hope this information was helpful. Wish you the best..
Bryanna






shimra;949393]Hi!!

I had one tooth that already had a rootcanal done. but an infection underneath the root caused it to get infected again. after several courses of amoxicillin t was apperent that nothing would work. so I had it extracted. after a few days it started hurting insanely. even more than before. I did have a bloodclot but it had to be removed to clean out the socket. The tooth behind it also hurt, this one also had had a rootcanal in the past and a crown. and a dark spot underneath it. during the week i was treated for dry socket. and they gave me Metronidizole 400 mg to clear up the infected dry socket. seemed to get better at first. but now over a week after the extraction, other teeth in my mouth randomly start hurting. the one behind sometimes...some in front. some in my lower jaw ( the tooth extracted was the 1st molar on the left upper jaw) and some in the lower jaw on the other side aswell. they seem to taking turns. These teeth didnt hurt befor but have had work done on them. also cant really pinpoint which teeth are actually causing the problem. The actual dry socket seems to be doing fine at the moment.

Could the infected nerve just be the problem? ive been 3 weeks in pain and just want it to end....[/QUOTE]

i had a dry socket and the pain was unbelievable, my heart goes out for everyone going through it. ibuprofein and paracetamol didnt help, but codeine did, so ask your doctor to prescribe that, it helped immediately, i felt the most immense relief and gratitude after that. also, go to the dentist, so they can cause a bleeding to the dry socket so that a new blood clot will form. i did that plus the codeine and the healing started. i also took homeopathy and natural remedies to aid and help with the healing:ruta graveolans for the healing of the dry socket (100 c every hour/few hours) and hypericum 100c (every hour) for the nervous pain. healing started the next day after i started taking these....noni juice and 3000 mg of vitamin c (lots of noni juice i took) and natures antibiotics to prevent an infection (olive leaf extract, grapeseed oil and oregano oil) . i also put extra virgin coconut oil on the dry socket at least once an hour to help fight off and prevent infection and help the healing. probiotics help fighting off infection as well, i took plenty of them as well. all these together and a week and and a half of terrible pain started healing in one/two days.