Home Remedies For Dry Socket

Smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco products both may increase your risk of dry socket. The harmful chemicals and toxins in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco prevent healing. They may even contaminate the affected site and slow down the healing process. Furthermore, the act of smoking or chewing tobacco may physically dislodge the blood clot. A 2011 study published in the Open Dentistry Journal notes that smoking, along with surgical trauma and single extractions, are predisposing factors in the occurrence of dry socket. Hence, it is recommended to stop smoking completely before and after your extraction. If needed, seek help from experts to quit permanently.

Turmeric

Turmeric is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory herb that can help deal with the pain of a dry socket. In addition to reducing pain, turmeric will speed up the healing process.

1. Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder and a little water or milk to form a paste. Use a cotton swab to apply it to the area where the dry socket has formed. Wait 20 minutes, then rinse your mouth with lukewarm water. Do this 2 to 3 times a day, as needed.

2. Another option is to mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of lukewarm water. Use this solution to rinse your mouth a few times daily until the pain is gone.

Garlic

As garlic is anti-inflammatory and a natural antibiotic, it is also effective at reducing pain in the gums and teeth due to dry socket. It can even reduce the risk of infection.

1. Place a fresh garlic clove in your mouth and crush it with your teeth. As the juice of the garlic will spread inside your mouth, the pain will gradually subside. Spit out the clove after 5 minutes and rinse your mouth with warm water. Do this 2 or 3 times a day or as needed.

2. Alternatively, make a paste of 2 fresh garlic cloves and a little salt using a mortar and pestle. Apply this paste to the extraction site for at least 30 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water. Repeat as needed to relieve pain.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can help prevent infection after tooth extraction

Cleansing your mouth with apple cider vinegar can help prevent infection after tooth extraction, thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

1. Mix equal parts of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and water. Use it as a mouth rinse 2 or 3 times a day.

2. Another option is to dip a cotton ball in the solution prepared above and place it on the affected area. Hold it there for about 10 minutes. Repeat 2 times a day.

Eat Soft Foods and Stay Hydrated

After getting your wisdom tooth removed, it is essential to stay hydrated to reduce the risk of dry socket. Lack of water in the body will halt cellular migration, decrease oxygenation of the blood, and delay healing of the wound. Also, during the first two days after dental extraction, you need to be careful about what you eat.

1. 1. Drink plain water at regular intervals throughout the day. However, try to drink from the side of the mouth opposite the extraction site as much as possible.

   2. Stick to soft foods like smoothies, yogurt, applesauce, boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, clear soup, and pudding as your wound starts healing, a shift from mild to semi-soft foods.

   3. You can even eat ice cream. Since it is cold, it will help reduce pain.

   4. Do not eat anything that leaves residual food particles in your mouth for a few days.

   5. Avoid eating hard, chewy, crunchy, and spicy foods for a few days. These foods may pool in the socket and cause irritation or infection.

   6. While eating, chew on the other side of your mouth.

 

Additional Tips

1. 1. Always look for a dentist or oral surgeon with experience in tooth extractions.

   2. Do not increase the dosage of prescription medications or take over-the-counter painkillers without consulting your dentist.

   3. Visit your dentist as scheduled for dressing changes and other care. If your pain returns or worsens before your next appointment, feel free to call your dentist.

   4. Women taking oral contraceptives who need to have their wisdom teeth removed should schedule it during the last week of their monthly birth control pills’. High estrogen levels due to oral contraceptives may increase the risk of dry socket.

   5. Use antibacterial mouthwashes and toothpaste before and after surgery.

   6. For a few days following a tooth extraction surgery, avoid the extraction site while brushing your teeth.

   7. Do not drink alcoholic, caffeinated, carbonated, or hot beverages in the first 48 hours.

   8. For a week after your surgery, avoid rigorous exercise and other physical activities that might result in dislodging the blood clot from the socket.

   9. Before your surgery, always inform your dentist about any prescription or over-the-counter medications or supplements you are taking.

   10. Do not use straws for sipping anything within the first week of extraction to reduce the risk of dry socket.

   11. Maintain proper oral hygiene to help heal a dry socket.

   12. Do not touch the wound with your fingers or other objects.

   13. Try to sleep with your head elevated to reduce pain.