At Marze Dental Dr. Brawley Marze and his staff remain dedicated to helping you maintain a beautiful smile. That means we want to make certain that you keep all of your teeth and that they function as they should. However from time to time, it may be necessary to extract a tooth. Gum disease, decay or an accident may make extraction necessary; but wisdom teeth often need to be removed, and sometimes extraction may be needed if a patient’s mouth is overcrowded with teeth. Whatever the reason, if an extraction is necessary you should be on guard for a complication known as dry socket.
When a tooth is extracted, a blot clot forms over the remaining socket to protect it while the site heals. If the clot ruptures or is removed, the area will become vulnerable to infection, and the patient can feel very intense pain or tenderness. Dry socket is frequently caused when a patient smokes within 72 hours after and extraction. So, if you are a smoker, a tooth extraction may be a good time to quit. You should avoid hard foods while the extraction site heals, and try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth. You may want to clean your mouth after your procedure, and for the first 24 hours, you should only brush your other teeth, and rinse the socket with warm water or an antibacterial rinse.
If you do end up with a dry socket, you should contact our dentist, Dr. Marze at Marze Dental in Sherman, Texas, as soon as possible. The doctor may be able to apply a dressing to the site,and give you a prescription to deal with the inflammation.
If you are dealing with a toothache, a dry socket after an extraction, or it is just time for your regular cleaning and exam, contact our office at 903-892-4531. We’ll schedule an appointment to see you as soon as possible.