Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat to Do and Not DoAftercareWarning Signs
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What to Do and Not Do
Aftercare
Warning Signs
Dry socket is relatively rare, occurring in only 0.5% to 5.6% of extractions, usually afterwisdom tooth removal.Dry socketscan be painful since nerve endings and bone are exposed, and they also delay healing from tooth extraction.It’s crucial to take precautions to prevent this uncomfortable condition.
Alexeg84 / Getty Images
1. Avoid Using Straws
If you have undergone adental extraction, it’s important to avoid using a straw for the first 24 hours since the sucking action can potentially dislodge the protective clot, leaving you with a dry socket.
2. Do Not Smoke or Use Tobacco
Smoking can increase the risk of developing dry socket. A 2023 study found that those who smoked were 3 times as likely to go on to develop this condition after having a tooth extracted as those who did not.
Nicotine can interfere with the healing process. It’s important to put cigarettes and nicotine-containing vaping aside for a few days to reduce your chance of this complication.
3. Stick With Soft Food
During the healing process, you should avoid eating anything too crunchy that could possibly dislodge the protective clot and lead to dry socket. This is particularly important during the first 24 hours when you should eat only soft foods like mashed potatoes or pudding.
During the first week, you can gradually introduce slightly harder foods like well-cooked pasta or soft fruits. Avoid reintroducing hard foods until your dentist confirms that the area has healed.
4. Maintain Oral Hygiene
Continue togently brush your teethafter having a tooth pulled. While you don’t want to injure the area, you want to keep your teeth clean so bacteria do not build up and cause infection. This is important because infection can potentially interfere with the protective clot formation and may also break down the clot and cause dry socket.
5. Rinse Your Mouth Gently
While you want to keep your mouth clean after a tooth extraction, you should also avoid rinsing excessively or vigorously during the first day. Vigorous, rather than gentle, swishing can interfere with blood clotting or dislodge the clot.
6. Avoid Alcohol
After having a tooth extracted, it is important to avoid alcoholic beverages for the first few days. This is because drinking alcohol can interfere with healing, as well as clot formation.
7. Limit Strenuous Activity
Even if you routinely exercise and are in great shape, you should refrain from performing strenuous exercise the first couple of days after an extraction. That’s because if you engage in physical activity that’s too strenuous, you may dislodge the protective clot. If you must exercise, keep it gentle.
8. Ask About Medication Interactions
Before undergoing a tooth extraction, it’s important to talk to your dentist about any medications you may be taking and discuss how they may potentially impact the dental procedure.
One type of medication isblood thinners(anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs). These can help control conditions such as heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis. Medications often prescribed to thin the blood include the following.
Plateletsare blood cells responsible for clot formation. With aspirin, these platelet changes cannot be undone and will remain an issue until new platelets form in seven to 10 days.
Anticoagulant medications, such as Jantoven (warfarin), Eliquis (apixaban), Pradaxa (dabigatran), and Xarelto (rivaroxaban), can prevent clots from stabilizing.These medications take different amounts of time to affect blood coagulation and clear the system when stopped. Your dentist can test your blood and keep tabs on how long it takes your blood to clot.
Depending on the type of blood-thinning medication you are taking, the dentist may not recommend any changes or they may instruct you to change or stop the medication for a while. Before making the change, consult the prescribing provider to ensure the temporary change will not affect your health.
Birth control pills may interfere with healing, and you may be asked to discontinue them temporarily. Be sure to use alternate birth control methods as long as needed.
A Word From VerywellDry sockets can be unpleasant and painful. While they are usually successfully managed and do not lead to long-term complications, there are ways to minimize their occurrence.—EDMUND KHOO, DDS, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Dry sockets can be unpleasant and painful. While they are usually successfully managed and do not lead to long-term complications, there are ways to minimize their occurrence.—EDMUND KHOO, DDS, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Dry sockets can be unpleasant and painful. While they are usually successfully managed and do not lead to long-term complications, there are ways to minimize their occurrence.
—EDMUND KHOO, DDS, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Tooth Extraction Aftercare
What you do the first day after your tooth is removed can affect how you ultimately fare during the healing process. Here are some steps you can take to help ensure that healing is as smooth as possible:
Warning Signs of a Dry Socket
While you can expect to feel somewhat uncomfortable for a few days following a tooth extraction, that does not point to a dry socket.
Some signs that you may be developing a dry socket include experiencing the following:
Contact your dentist if you experience any of these warning signs
Summary
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Akinbami BO, Godspower T.Dry socket: incidence, clinical features, and predisposing factors.Int J Dent. 2014;2014:796102. doi:10.1155/2014/796102MedlinePlus.Dry socket.McGill.Teeth extractions.Majid OW.Further evidence confirms the association between smoking and dry socket: a motivational opportunity for tobacco cessation.Evid Based Dent. 2023;24(4):181-183. doi:10.1038/s41432-023-00938-9Center for Advanced Periodontal & Implant Therapy.How to avoid/prevent dry sockets.Advanced Smile Dentistry.When can I eat after a tooth extraction or wisdom tooth removal?Khalil W.A new approach for explaining and treating dry sockets: a pilot retrospective study.Cureus. 2023;15(7):e41347. doi:10.7759/cureus.41347Saint Luke’s.After tooth extraction: caring for your mouth.US Masters Swimming.When can I swim after getting a tooth extracted?The American Academy of Oral Medicine.Blood thinners and dental care.Tang M, Gurpegui Abud D, Shariff JA.Oral contraceptive use and alveolar osteitis following third molar extraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Dent. 2022;2022:7357845. doi:10.1155/2022/7357845
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Akinbami BO, Godspower T.Dry socket: incidence, clinical features, and predisposing factors.Int J Dent. 2014;2014:796102. doi:10.1155/2014/796102MedlinePlus.Dry socket.McGill.Teeth extractions.Majid OW.Further evidence confirms the association between smoking and dry socket: a motivational opportunity for tobacco cessation.Evid Based Dent. 2023;24(4):181-183. doi:10.1038/s41432-023-00938-9Center for Advanced Periodontal & Implant Therapy.How to avoid/prevent dry sockets.Advanced Smile Dentistry.When can I eat after a tooth extraction or wisdom tooth removal?Khalil W.A new approach for explaining and treating dry sockets: a pilot retrospective study.Cureus. 2023;15(7):e41347. doi:10.7759/cureus.41347Saint Luke’s.After tooth extraction: caring for your mouth.US Masters Swimming.When can I swim after getting a tooth extracted?The American Academy of Oral Medicine.Blood thinners and dental care.Tang M, Gurpegui Abud D, Shariff JA.Oral contraceptive use and alveolar osteitis following third molar extraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Dent. 2022;2022:7357845. doi:10.1155/2022/7357845
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Akinbami BO, Godspower T.Dry socket: incidence, clinical features, and predisposing factors.Int J Dent. 2014;2014:796102. doi:10.1155/2014/796102MedlinePlus.Dry socket.McGill.Teeth extractions.Majid OW.Further evidence confirms the association between smoking and dry socket: a motivational opportunity for tobacco cessation.Evid Based Dent. 2023;24(4):181-183. doi:10.1038/s41432-023-00938-9Center for Advanced Periodontal & Implant Therapy.How to avoid/prevent dry sockets.Advanced Smile Dentistry.When can I eat after a tooth extraction or wisdom tooth removal?Khalil W.A new approach for explaining and treating dry sockets: a pilot retrospective study.Cureus. 2023;15(7):e41347. doi:10.7759/cureus.41347Saint Luke’s.After tooth extraction: caring for your mouth.US Masters Swimming.When can I swim after getting a tooth extracted?The American Academy of Oral Medicine.Blood thinners and dental care.Tang M, Gurpegui Abud D, Shariff JA.Oral contraceptive use and alveolar osteitis following third molar extraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Dent. 2022;2022:7357845. doi:10.1155/2022/7357845
Akinbami BO, Godspower T.Dry socket: incidence, clinical features, and predisposing factors.Int J Dent. 2014;2014:796102. doi:10.1155/2014/796102
MedlinePlus.Dry socket.
McGill.Teeth extractions.
Majid OW.Further evidence confirms the association between smoking and dry socket: a motivational opportunity for tobacco cessation.Evid Based Dent. 2023;24(4):181-183. doi:10.1038/s41432-023-00938-9
Center for Advanced Periodontal & Implant Therapy.How to avoid/prevent dry sockets.
Advanced Smile Dentistry.When can I eat after a tooth extraction or wisdom tooth removal?
Khalil W.A new approach for explaining and treating dry sockets: a pilot retrospective study.Cureus. 2023;15(7):e41347. doi:10.7759/cureus.41347
Saint Luke’s.After tooth extraction: caring for your mouth.
US Masters Swimming.When can I swim after getting a tooth extracted?
The American Academy of Oral Medicine.Blood thinners and dental care.
Tang M, Gurpegui Abud D, Shariff JA.Oral contraceptive use and alveolar osteitis following third molar extraction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Dent. 2022;2022:7357845. doi:10.1155/2022/7357845
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
