Women who take birth control pills have a higher risk of developing dry socket after wisdom teeth extraction because of their high levels of estrogen. Also, people who smoke and those with certain health conditions are also more likely to get dry sockets.
Dry Socket
If you've just had a tooth extracted, particularly a wisdom tooth, you may start to feel a nasty pain a few days after the tooth extraction. Call your doctor or dentist to see if this is dry socket, a condition that can happen when the blood clot that is supposed to form in the socket where your tooth was gets dislodged. This will interfere with healing. Also known as alveolar osteitis, dry socket can cause pain not only where the tooth was but through the jaw and radiating to your ears. Learn more about preventing and treating dry socket with expert advice from Sharecare.
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4 AnswersA
American Dental Association answeredSee All 4 AnswersA dry socket occurs when the socket is slow to heal after an extraction. Listen as Dr. Maria Howell Lopez explains how to treat your mouth if you develop a dry socket.
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RealAge answeredDry socket may affect your quality of life by causing considerable pain. Dry socket can occur after you've had a tooth removed. Usually, this removal results in a blood clot forming over the hole that contained your tooth (the socket). This clot is important because it protects the socket until the healing process is complete. Sometimes, however, the blood clot gets washed away before the socket is healed fully. This leaves the socket exposed to air and food bits, which can be painful. Fortunately, dry socket can be easily treated and the pain relieved. -
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American Dental Association answeredSee All 2 Answers
Consult your dentist if you have dry socket, a painful condition that sometimes occurs after a tooth is extracted and the blood clot that forms over your socket is displaced, leaving bone and nerves exposed. Your dentist may prescribe an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.