What is Dry Socket?
Dry socket, or alveolar osteitis, is a condition that can develop after you’ve had a tooth extraction. Only a small amount of people develop dry socket after an extraction, but it can be uncomfortable.
The symptoms of dry socket include:
- Seeing a whitish bone at the surgery site
- Pain about two days after surgery
- Pain in your ear
- Bad breath
- Unpleasant smell and taste in your mouth
How Does Dry Socket Develop?
Normally after a tooth is extracted, the socket where the tooth used to reside is protected by a blood clot. If this blood clot dissolves or becomes dislodged, the bone and nerve under the socket are vulnerable.
This can lead to dry socket, meaning an infection and severe pain that lasts for almost a week.
Dry socket is more common if you:
- Smoke
- Have poor oral hygiene
- Have wisdom teeth pulled
- Use birth control pills
- Have a history of dry socket
Preventing Dry Socket
Extraction aftercare instructions are meant to aid in the prevention of conditions like dry socket. Drinking through a straw, rinsing, and spitting are common causes of dry socket because they make it more likely the blood clot will come out of place.
How PRP Can Help
Studies have shown that platelet-rich plasma therapy decreases pain and increases soft-tissue healing when the surgical site is treated. Patients treated with PRP were much less likely to develop dry socket than those without PRP.
PRP can help you to heal from tooth extraction and greatly reduce your risk of complications. You’ll be able to jump back into your life without having to worry about pain or health consequences.