What Causes Dry Socket. A dry socket can be caused by anything that dislodges the blood clot from the socket before it has time to heal. Common culprits include suction from straws or food getting lodged in the site. Other forms of disruption or dislodging may be bad hygiene, spitting, coughing, and sneezing.
What are the warning signs of dry socket?
The symptoms of dry socket can vary but may include:
- severe pain at the site of the extraction.
- a missing blood clot at the extraction site.
- visible bone at the extraction site.
- a foul smell coming from the mouth.
- a bad taste in the mouth.
- pain radiating from the tooth socket to the ear, eye, temple, or neck on the same side.
What increases risk of dry socket?
What are risk factors for getting dry socket? Prior to tooth extraction, risk factors for developing a dry socket include smoking, the presence of an impacted wisdom tooth, being female, and being above the age of 30. Smoking is a risk factor for developing a dry socket due to the nicotine found in cigarettes.
