Dry socket is the common name for alveolar osteitis, inflammation within an empty tooth socket. To prevent it after a tooth extraction, people should avoid smoking, alcohol, and suction. In this ...

What Is A Dry Socket? “After tooth extraction treatment, we advise patients to avoid spitting and gargling for 24 hours. We do this to prevent damage to the tooth extraction site.

Dry socket, or alveolar osteitis, is a common complication of tooth extraction. It develops when the blood clot that protects the wound disintegrates or breaks loose, exposing the nerves and bone ...

Dry socket can occur following a tooth extraction anytime from right after your procedure up until you’ve fully recovered. It may take seven to ten days for the extraction site to fully heal.

One study found that dry socket occurred in 12 percent of people who smoked after a tooth extraction. By comparison, only 4 percent of those who don’t smoke developed dry socket.