Pain from the socket

Pain from the Socket

There is always some pain after a tooth is taken out. Aspirin is usually enough to help. However, sometimes a severe kind of pain starts inside the tooth’s ‘socket’ (the wound) 2 to 3 days after you take out the tooth. This problem is called dry socket and it needs special care.

TREATMENT:

1 . Place a dressing inside the socket. Change it each day until the pain stops.

First, clean out the socket .

Squirt warm water inside the socket with a clean syringe. After the person spits out the water, squirt water inside once more. Use a blunt needle so that it does not hurt the gums or bone if it touches them.

Second, prepare the dressing .

Soak 1 to 2 small pieces of cotton in eugenol (oil of cloves). Squeeze each piece so that it is damp but not wet. Note: There may be local medicine in your area that relieves pain. Use it instead of eugenol.

Third, place the dressing gently inside the socket .

Place one piece of dressing into each root space. Push it down into the root space gently. Cover the socket with plain cotton gauze, and send the person home bitting against it. He can remove the plain cotton in an hour. The dressing should remain inside the socket.

2 . Give aspirin or acetominophen for pain (page 94).