Symptoms & conditions
Dry socket (after extraction)
The short answer
Severe throbbing pain 3-5 days after a tooth extraction, after the first two days had been improving, is classic dry socket — the blood clot dislodged and bone is exposed. Not serious, but needs a same-day visit for a medicated dressing. Heals in 5-7 days once treated.
What's happening
The clinical picture
After an extraction, a blood clot forms in the socket within hours and acts as a scaffold for new bone formation. In 2-5% of extractions (higher for lower wisdom teeth, smokers, women on oral contraceptives), the clot comes loose early. Bone is suddenly exposed to air, food, and bacteria. The pain pattern is distinctive: days 0-2 were fine, day 3 turns into intense throbbing that paracetamol barely touches, often with a bad taste. Smoking and straw-drinking in the first 72 hours are the two biggest modifiable causes — avoid both after any extraction.
Warning signs
Contact us the same day if:
- Pain starting or worsening 3-5 days post-extraction (not before)
- Bad taste or smell from the socket
- Pain radiating to ear/eye/temple on the same side
- Empty-looking socket when you look in the mirror
- Pain not responding to paracetamol + ibuprofen
What we do
Our approach
Same-day slot. Gentle irrigation to clean debris, then a medicated dressing placed in the socket (eugenol-based paste — the gold standard). Pain relief is usually dramatic within an hour. We see you again at day 2 and day 5 to refresh the dressing if needed. No antibiotics unless there's systemic infection — dry socket is an inflammatory, not infective, problem.
Dig deeper
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