22 Feb Dry Socket: Causes, Treatment, and Natural Remedies
Tooth extractions are a very common procedure. Most people get their wisdom teeth removed, and sometimes tooth extractions are part of the process of getting dentures or implants. Complications are rare, but if you do develop dry socket, there are natural remedies that can help relieve your pain and heal the wound.
What Causes Dry Socket?
After a tooth has been removed, a blood clot forms at the extraction site that protects your gums from infections while they heal. It’s important to be very careful not to dislodge the blood clot, otherwise a painful condition called “dry socket” could develop.
For at least a week following a tooth extraction, you’ll need to be careful about what you eat and how you clean your teeth. You’ll also need to avoid creating suction inside your mouth, which means no drinking through straws and no smoking or vaping.
If any food gets trapped in the wound, or if the blood clot gets dislodged or fails to form, the extraction site can get infected. It won’t take long for the infection to reach the empty socket, and the pain will be intense.
Less than 5% of tooth extractions result in complications, but if you suddenly start feeling intense pain at the extraction site, call your dentist immediately. They can offer treatment that will stop the infection and relieve your pain.
Holistic Treatments and Natural Remedies for Dry Socket
It’s good to know that if you ever do need a remedy for dry socket, there are natural alternatives available. At Prescott Dentistry, we offer non-invasive treatments like ozone therapy that eradicate infection-causing bacteria and promote the natural healing process.
Our style of holistic dental care also includes herbal remedies, and we can teach you how to make a dry socket paste to use at home. Applying the paste to the extraction site will help seal the wound and prevent infections from reaching your bones and blood vessels.
Our recipe focuses on four important natural ingredients: honey, turmeric, clove oil, and coconut oil. Each ingredient has unique healing, infection-fighting, and pain-relieving properties to help you recover quickly and comfortably. We’ll share the recipe and explain how to use it in our next post.
Urgent Dental Care in Prescott, Arizona
If you’re in any kind of dental pain, please give us a call. Or if you recently lost a tooth and think you might have dry socket, we’re here to help. Tooth pain often signals a serious infection, and you’ll need immediate treatment to stop it from spreading and to keep the pain from getting worse. We always reserve time for urgent appointments, so don’t delay—call us at 928-445-1660 today.
Photo by Darío Méndez on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 2/9/2024.