Following a tooth extraction, smoking can increase the level of pain experienced at the site where a tooth has been removed. This also slows the healing process. Also, the blood within the body of a smoker will hamper the healing process as well. This is because there is less oxygen in the smoker's bloodstream.
When you do start to smoke again, it is very important to use gauze to help reduce the pressure on the wound. Gauze helps protect the wound in two ways: it prevents some of the smoke from reaching the wound and reduces pressure on the wound making the blood clot less likely to dislodge and cause a dry socket.
Despite the strength of your urges to smoke, dentists strongly recommend waiting at least 72 hours following the extraction of teeth, including wisdom teeth, before smoking any cigarettes at all.
The likelihood of tobacco users to develop a dry socket is actually 3x higher than those who don't smoke or chew! The sucking action of smoking a cigarette or pipe can dislodge a blood clot and cause a dry socket. It's recommended that smokers cut back significantly on smoking before and after oral surgery.
In the first 72 hours following surgery, you should only use a nicotine patch. Once you are ready to start smoking again, you need to remember to inhale as gently as possible. If you know you want to smoke after surgery, you should ask your dentist or oral surgeon to use stitches on your extraction site.
Following a tooth extraction, smoking can increase the level of pain experienced at the site where a tooth has been removed. This also slows the healing process. Also, the blood within the body of a smoker will hamper the healing process as well. This is because there is less oxygen in the smoker's bloodstream.
While the percentage of those who develop dry socket is rare—about 2%-5% of people—it's rather important to know why it happens and to determine if you may be more prone to it. Someone who doesn't have dry socket would see a dark blood clot near the area where the tooth was pulled.
Logistic regression showed that tooth dissection, smoking, and the number of cigarettes smoked (>20 cigarettes per day) were associated with the occurrence of dry socket.
If you develop dry socket, the pain usually begins one to three days after your tooth is removed. Dry socket is the most common complication following tooth extractions, such as the removal of third molars (wisdom teeth). Over-the-counter medications alone won't be enough to treat dry socket pain.
After a tooth extraction, you should develop a blood clot in the socket (hole) that's left behind. It'll look like a dark-colored scab. But if you have a dry socket, the clot will be absent and you'll be able to see bone. For this reason, dry sockets usually appear white.
If you are a patient who smokes or uses smokeless tobacco, it is ideal to stop using tobacco products a few days before surgery and for at least 72 hours after surgery. The longer you are able to refrain from cigarettes or other tobacco products, the quicker you will heal.
The American Dental Association recommends you keep gauze over your extraction site for 30 to 45 minutes after surgery. This encourages a blood clot to form and can help prevent dry socket.
The length of time of a blood clot's dissolution will vary from patient to patient. Typically, your tooth extraction site will be completely healed anywhere from seven to ten days after the extraction procedure.
Another common symptom of a dry socket is a bad or sour taste in your mouth. This can be one of the first signs of infection, so don't let that smell linger without taking swift action. Swish warm salt water or a dentist-recommended rinse in your mouth gently before getting on the books at your local dental office.
One of the best things you can do is rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. This will help to remove any food particles that could be irritating your dry socket and promote blood clotting. You want to make sure that you're using warm water and not hot because hot water could further irritate your wound.
A dentist will recommend that a smoker abstains from using tobacco for at least 72 hours, or 3 days, after oral surgery including extraction procedures.
Dislodge the food by gently rinsing your mouth with warm salt water (saline) solution. Avoid swishing the water around and don't spit—this can lead to painful dry sockets. If you received a syringe from your clinician, you can use warm water or salt water to gently flush the socket clean.
Your dentist or oral surgeon may pack the socket with medicated gel or paste and medicated dressings. These can provide relatively fast pain relief. The severity of your pain and other symptoms will determine whether you need dressing changes and how often or if you need other treatment.
Dry socket is most common in molar extractions and especially in wisdom teeth, where it can occur up to 30% of the time. Patients with this condition typically experience a consistent throbbing pain a few days after the tooth is removed.
In most cases, dry socket will heal on its own, but as the site heals patients will likely continue to experience discomfort. If you do choose to treat dry socket at home, you need to clean the wound with cool water, irrigate the socket with saline, and keep gauze over the socket.
The recommended wait time for smoker after an extraction is at least 72 hour. Though this seems daunting, the chemical toxins found in cigarette smoke can cause inflammation and delay healing. Smoking too soon after an extraction can also cause dry socket.
(First 24 hours post-op) Avoid eating or drinking for the first hour after your surgery (with the exception of liquids needed as an aid with taking medication). Over the following 24 hours, drink plenty of fluids so you stay properly hydrated.