Dry socket is a painful complication that can occur after having a tooth pulled. It happens when the blood clot that forms in the socket after a tooth extraction is dislodged or does not form well, leaving the bone and nerves exposed to the air. This can cause extreme pain and delay the healing of the surgical site. The exact cause of dry socket is still being studied, but researchers think that certain issues may be involved, such as bacteria that gets into the socket or injury at the surgical site when tooth removal is difficult. Factors that can increase the risk of developing dry socket include smoking and tobacco use, chemicals in cigarettes or other forms of tobacco that may prevent or slow healing, birth control pills, high estrogen levels from birth control pills that may cause problems with healing, and poor oral hygiene, which can cause bacterial contamination.

Symptoms of dry socket may include severe pain within a few days after removing a tooth, loss of part or all of the blood clot at the tooth removal site, the socket may look empty, bone that you can see in the socket, bad breath, foul taste, and tenderness. If you have severe pain after a tooth extraction, it is important to see your dentist or oral surgeon. They can offer treatments to relieve your pain, such as cleaning out the socket to flush out food or other materials, filling the socket with a medicated dressing or paste, prescribing antibiotics to prevent the socket from becoming infected, having you rinse with salt water or special mouthwash, and giving you a prescription for pain medicine or irrigation solution.