When you have your wisdom teeth taken out, you need to be proactive to reduce the risk of dry socket. This condition develops when the blood clot that naturally forms after the dentist removes your wisdom tooth dislodges too early. It is often very painful, so it is worth taking all the steps you can to avoid dry socket. These five top tips can help.
1. Avoid Smoking After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Dentists encourage patients to avoid smoking for as long as possible after wisdom teeth removal. The very earliest you should light up is 48 hours after your extraction procedure. Before this, the risk of dry socket is very high. The longer you can stay away from cigarettes, the better the effects on your oral health.
2. Avoid Touching the Socket
The more you touch the socket left behind after your wisdom tooth removal, the greater the chance of developing dry socket. Keep fingers away to allow the gum to heal undisturbed. Be very careful not to jab your toothbrush into the sore spot while brushing. You should also avoid solid pieces of food touching the socket. Eating soft foods that don't need much chewing, such as soup, will help with this.
3. Avoid Drinking Soda
Try to avoid carbonated drinks while your gums heal from wisdom teeth extraction. Bubbles in soda can cause clots to disintegrate. Choose non-carbonated beverages such as water. It is also a good idea to avoid drinks that are very hot or very cold, as the extraction site is likely to be sensitive to temperature extremes.
4. Avoid Sucking on Straws
You might think that using a straw is a good way to minimise contact between your sore gums and your favourite drinks. However, sucking on a straw creates a pressure vacuum inside the mouth that can suck the blood clot out of its socket. Drink from a glass or cup instead until your gums are fully healed.
5. Tell Your Dentist If You're on the Pill
Taking the combined contraceptive pill increases the risk of dry socket. If you take a pill that contains oestrogen, be sure to tell your dentist before your wisdom teeth extraction procedure. Your dentist might recommend that you stop taking the pill for a while. Another option is to schedule the removal procedure during the one week each month when you stop taking pills to allow your period to come because the chance of developing dry socket is lower then.
For more information about wisdom teeth removal, contact a dental clinic like Carousel Dental.
Share28 January 2019
Hi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Kerry, and this blog is focused on dental fillings. It looks at the history of fillings, options for contemporary fillings, how to protect your fillings, when to replace them and much more. If you have ever had a cavity filled or if you are planning to get a tooth filled, you will find the information in this blog useful. I try to look at fillings from all angles, and I even plan to look at how to avoid fillings through proper dental hygiene and sealants. Thanks for reading, and I hope you find the info intellectually "filling."
