Had. Can See The Whitish Stuff Where The Socket Is And No Pain. Can I Start Smoking Again?

Posted on Fri, 28 Jun 2013

Question: Hello, I had my lower left wisdom tooth extracted 6 days ago under sedation (apparently it was a straightforward extraction) and so far the recovery process has been very good despite my dentist telling me that the probability of my developing a dry socket was high due to 1) it being a wisdom tooth and 2) my being a smoker. I can still see some white-ish stuff where the socket is (granulation tissue I think) and have no pain. I've abstained from smoking all this while, and was wondering if I could start smoking again? Could a dry socket still develop after 6 days as a result of the suction from smoking? I realise that I shouldnt be smoking at all... Many thanks...

Answered by Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda (17 minutes later)

Hello,
thanks for writing to us,
I will be glad to answer your query,
First of all , I appreciate you for following the post extraction instructions diligently as given by your dentist.
Usually smoking should be avoided for a week after extraction, and in your case it is almost a week.
The white stuff on the extraction socket s the healing tissue which will disappear on its and result in a healthy healed tissue.
Dry socket is associated with severe pain , which in your case is not present therefore it seems to me that the socket is healing well.
Therefore you need not worry, but before starting to smoke again i would like you to see your dentist so that he can check clinically if everything seems to be fine.
For the socket to heal i will recommend you to do warm saline rinses(3-4times/day), it is very important to take care of your oral hygiene until the socket heals completely to avoid infection.

I hope i answered your query,
If you have any further questions feel free to write back to us,
I wish you good health,
take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda (2 hours later)

Thank you very much, Dr XXXXXXX

I have indeed been doing the warm saline rinses - after every time I eat something, and up to 10 times a day (a bit OTT, I know!). I just finished my dinner, was doing my saline rinses, and noticed some food debris on the site so I used one of those curved syringes to try and dislodge the debris. I was successful, but noticed that there isnt as much granulation tissue now as earlier today, and there seems to be more of a hole there now. I dont feel any pain, just a low-level soreness on the site, which I have been feeling, well, since day 2 after the extraction really. Is this normal?

I will try to see my dentist (well, he's not really my dentist but a referred one specifically for the extraction) ASAP.

Thanks very much again.

Answered by Dr. Bibhu Dutt Nanda (42 minutes later)

Hello and thanks for writing back,

It seems that the tissue at the extraction site is still sore but is healthy and not at all infected .
Keep it up with your oral hygiene practices and see your dentist soon.
Try not to poke the extraction site as the tissue is still sensitive and healing at a normal pace.

I do not find any reasons to worry. You can anyway go ahead with your appointment with the dentist and get all your queries clarified. I will always be available here for easy opinion.

I wish you a very good health,

Take care

Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad