“Do I need antibiotics for dry socket?”
I was diagnosed with a dry socket. Is it serious? Do I need antibiotics for dry socket?
8 Answers
Need - no
Recommend - yes
Will you be fine without any medication - in about 2 weeks symptoms subside however you will be in severe pain.
Best treatment is to have the dentist place dry socket medicine in the area and have a suture to hold the medicine in place. This will help heal quicker.
Recommend - yes
Will you be fine without any medication - in about 2 weeks symptoms subside however you will be in severe pain.
Best treatment is to have the dentist place dry socket medicine in the area and have a suture to hold the medicine in place. This will help heal quicker.
If the diagnosis of dry socket is correct and the only applicable diagnosis, antibiotics are not recommended for this condition alone. However, the best course of action would be to return to the provider who performed the surgery in order to be fully evaluated.
"Dry socket,” also called alveolar osteitis or fibrinolytic osteitis, is the most common complication of a tooth extraction. Dry socket occurs when a blood clot—that normally covers the bottom of the empty socket—does not form or breaks down before the healing process is complete. Bone and nerves are exposed to the outside world. The pain can be excruciating when the extraction site is irritated by food debris or other particles. Antibiotics are not required to treat dry socket, however, from my personal experience, I like to prescribe it for patients with dry socket as it helps in combination with pain medications to reduce pain and prevent any possible infections in the area.
Hope my answer helps.
Regards,
Alhareth Dhari, DMD
Hope my answer helps.
Regards,
Alhareth Dhari, DMD
There is no definite answer to that question quite frankly, it's more or less schools of thought. I would say yes, if you are not already on a dose of antibiotics before the dental/oral surgery, then I would for sure give you an Rx for one. Dry docket is not life-threatening, nor has any subsequent effect provided that the surrounding tissues are healthy and within normal limits. It's very painful though. There is a protocol that your dentist will follow for 3 days. It usually includes 3 days of dressing change and irrigation of the site. Then you heal nicely as if nothing happens!
My patients are usually on antibiotics before & after extraction. Dry sockets in that case are very rare. But, if there is one, I place a medication locally in the socket. That stops the pain and the socket heals within a few days.
With regards, Thanks,
Dr. Narkhede
With regards, Thanks,
Dr. Narkhede
No, an antibiotic is not necessary to treat a dry socket. A dry socket is caused by loss of the blood clot over the bone of the extraction site. An antibiotic is only indicated when there is a bacterial infection.
Hope this answers your question.
Dr. Marcia Gilbert
Hope this answers your question.
Dr. Marcia Gilbert
No, a dry socket is not an infection. It is not serious.
Dry socket does not require antibiotics. Usually treated by placing medicine in socket. It will heal on its own; just slow healing and painful.
