Wisdom tooth extraction recovery

[Pressreturn]

Hi, I had a lower wisdom tooth extracted 9 days ago, and 6 days in I returned to the dentist with ear/neck/jaw pain and a foul taste/smell in my mouth. Dentist said it's infected and prescribed antibiotics and ibuprofen, salt water rinsing and patience...

I'm on day 4 of the antibiotics, I feel better but still a dull ache (as I expect), but when can I expect the foul smell/taste to go? It's not dry socket, so can I assume it's healing? The socket appears deep, and dark. When I rinse, small black bits come out, but I'm not seeing any further progress... I don't want to go brushing in it, or poking about in case I dislodge something important, but I'm sure there's food stuck at the bottom.

I guess I'm just asking if this is normal at this stage of recovery? Thanks.

 

[Dr M]

Good day
It sounded like you indeed did have a dry socket. Classic signs of a dry socket include pain, foul taste and smell in the mouth, and usually it happens 3 to 5 days after an extraction.It is more common in bottom teeth. In a normal scenario, the socket would have been rinsed out, disinfected and then allowed to form a new blood clot. Antibiotics is then also given.
Dry sockets is usually self limiting and will eventually clear up. If the pain is subsiding, I would just be more patient. A socket can sometimes take 30 days to close.

 

[Pressreturn]

Good day
It sounded like you indeed did have a dry socket. Classic signs of a dry socket include pain, foul taste and smell in the mouth, and usually it happens 3 to 5 days after an extraction.It is more common in bottom teeth. In a normal scenario, the socket would have been rinsed out, disinfected and then allowed to form a new blood clot. Antibiotics is then also given.
Dry sockets is usually self limiting and will eventually clear up. If the pain is subsiding, I would just be more patient. A socket can sometimes take 30 days to close.

Thanks for the response. I wonder why my dentist didn't clear it out? I've finished my antibiotics and the foul taste and smell has subsided, and the pain is all but gone. Hoping that continued salt water rinsing will keep everything healing well.