Many people assume that several days of suffering after having a wisdom tooth removed is an unavoidable price for the procedure. But implantologist Zaurbek Badtiev disagrees: severe delayed pain means the patient has accidentally triggered a "dry socket," according to infohub.kz.
According to the specialist, to ensure the wound heals quickly and uneventfully, you must avoid certain things in the first 24 hours that seem completely normal.
"Do you know why half of people suffer for three days after wisdom tooth removal, while the other half forget about it the next day? It's not luck. The difference lies in one detail that almost no one mentions during the appointment," the dentist said.
As the doctor explained, the key detail is the blood clot in the socket. It covers the wound and initiates healing. If the clot is washed out or breaks down prematurely, what's known as a "dry socket" develops: sharp pain that doesn't appear immediately but on the second or third day.
"The reasons for clot destruction are mundane. These include vigorous rinsing in the first 24 hours, drinking through a straw (which creates a vacuum), smoking, and hot food. People don't do this to hurt themselves—no one simply explained beforehand why it's critical in the first 24–48 hours," he explained.
According to some data, dry socket occurs in a minority of patients after extraction, but it leaves the most vivid negative memory of the procedure. One bad experience—and a person puts off visiting the dentist for years, even though the surgery itself went smoothly.
What actually reduces the risk of pain? According to the dentist, you should not rinse vigorously in the first 24 hours, eat soft warm (not hot) food, avoid smoking for at least the first few days, and not touch the socket with your tongue out of curiosity.
"It sounds simple, but these little things determine whether there will be pain or not," the doctor emphasized.
Earlier, dentist Aralbek Tasbulatov explained why the dentofacial system is not always ready for the appearance of the last molars and what risks their eruption hides.