Frequently Asked

• How do you prevent dry socket?

  Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water several times a day. Brush your teeth gently around the dry socket area. Use caution with eating or drinking, avoid carbonated beverages, and avoid smoking or using a straw to prevent dislodging the dressing.

• How to tell if you have a dry socket?

  Instead of a dark blood clot, there will just be whitish bone. The pain typically starts about 2 days after the tooth was pulled. Over time it becomes more severe and can radiate to your ear. Other symptoms of dry socket include bad breath and an unpleasant smell and taste in your mouth

• How common is it to get dry socket from nicotine?

  Nicotine intake can cause dry socket, a painful condition when a blood clot dislodges after a tooth extraction. The sucking motion can pull the clot from the hole in your gum. Also, the chemicals in tobacco prevent your body from healing quickly.

• How long does it take for a dry socket to go away?

  Post extraction pain peaks and wanes within a 24 hour period, but dry socket pain peaks three to five days after the extraction and will take weeks to go away unless treated by a professional. Symptoms also include bad breath, an earache, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.