Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 9/13/2006

Question

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Followup To

Question -
Good Afternoon Doctor,

I had a tooth removed yesterday.  It was a tooth in the very back of my mouth but not wisdom as I had those removed when I was 16 years of age.  My Dentist and I opted to remove the tooth and most likely you can guess why.  Decay.  It has been over 24 hours.  I have now rinsed with warm salt water twice.  My question is why does the site look whitish?  It isnt bothering me much at all.  It is still a bit swollen.  I just dont know what the white is.  Can you help me?

Answer -
Dear Deb,

The white material is the blood clot; your rinsing has merely washed away the red blood cells and left the clotted fibrin material, which is white. This is normal, and is of no concern.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY


Doctor Bornfeld,
Thank you for the response.  Since I emailed you, some of this white material has washed out.  I do not want dry socket.  Is this a bad thing when it washes away?

Thanks again!
Deb

Answer
Dear Deb,

Although it is inappropriate to rinse vigorously so soon after an extraction, it is unlikely that the loss of a small amount of clot will adversely affect healing. Dry socket is not a condition CAUSED by loss of a clot-- rather, it is a condition arising due to unknown factors that is manifested in part by clot loss.

Treat the extraction site gently over the next two to three days, and you'll do fine. If you do develop a dry socket, it will not be due to clot loss. Because the cause of dry socket is unknown, there is little you can do to prevent it, but this complication is relatively benign (if uncomfortable), and happens only in about 10% of extractions.

Good luck!

Mark Bornfeld DDS