There are times where the only way to heal your mouth is to extract a tooth. As soon as you have that tooth removed in our office, you’re probably going to have a small blood clot at the site of removal. The blood clot is there to protect the bone and nerve endings lying underneath and also to give you time to heal. That clot should stay there until your wound is completely healed.
There are times, however, when the clot can come off and you’re might experience a lot of pain.
This complication is called a dry socket and is not only quite uncomfortable, but also causes your healing to take longer than it should. You should do your best to avoid it. So, how do you avoid dry socket after your tooth extraction? Here are a few tips you can follow immediately.
Don’t Use Straws
Straws are the worst thing you can use when you’re healing from an extraction. They cause air suction, which can easily cause the blood clot to dislodge.
Don’t Smoke
If you use tobacco or smoke in general, then your risk of getting dry socket is even higher. The reason why is because smoking involves faster than normal inhalation, which can easily dislodge your blood clot. It doesn’t matter whether you’re smoking cigarettes or something else; the chemicals in the tobacco itself could easily cause an infection and delay healing.
Don’t Eat Hard, Crunchy, or Sticky Foods
You should avoid crunchy foods like potato crisps, plus hard foods and sticky foods while recovering. You should also avoid soup as any sucking could easily dislodge the blood clot. Stick to soft foods the first few days and progressively go for slightly harder foods day by day as you heal.
While you’re taking all of these precautions to take care of your healing wound, make sure you pass by our office regularly to get a checkup and practice proper oral hygiene. We will advise you on the best way to brush your teeth during this period and also prescribe the right kind of antimicrobial mouthwash for you.