Where There Is No Dentist 2012 117
Pain from the Socket
There is always some pain after a tooth is taken out. Aspirin is usually
enough to help.
However, sometimes a severe kind of pain starts inside the tooth’s ‘socket’
(the wound) 2 to 3 days after you take out the tooth. This problem is called
dry socket and it needs special care.
TREATMENT:
1. Place a dressing inside the socket. Change it each day until the pain stops.
First, clean out the socket.
Squirt warm water inside the socket with
a clean syringe. After the person spits out
the water, squirt water inside once more.
Use a blunt needle so that it does not
hurt the gums or bone if it touches them.
Second, prepare the dressing.
Soak 1 to 2 small pieces
of cotton in eugenol (oil of
cloves).
Squeeze each piece so that it
is damp but not wet.
Note: There may be local
medicine in your area that
relieves pain. Use it instead of
eugenol.
Third, place the dressing
gently inside the socket.
Place one piece of dressing
into each root space. Push
it down into the root space
gently.
Cover the socket with plain
cotton gauze, and send
the person home bitting
against it. He can remove
the plain cotton in an hour.
The dressing should remain
inside the socket.
2. Give aspirin or acetominophen for pain (page 94).