White growth after tooth extraction: should you panic?

Tooth extraction is a process that traumatizes the gums. After healing a diseased tooth, nerves, ligaments and small blood vessels are torn, which causes bleeding. This is a natural process - the blood does not allow pathogenic organisms to enter the circulatory system, washing them out. And then, curled up, it forms a barrier between unprotected tissues and bacteria. After tooth extraction, white plaque on the gum is not pus, but another stage of protection and restoration of the body.

When removing a tooth, the patient must be prepared:

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to moderate bleeding that may last for some time;

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the appearance of a dense blood clot in the gum;

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unpleasant odor 10-12 hours after surgery;

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the formation of a white coating on the blood clot;

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pain after surgery;

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temperature rise.

The listed symptoms are not a sign of an unsuccessful operation or infection in the body - this is the body’s natural response to tooth extraction.

Content:

1. When white plaque is the norm
2. When white plaque is a harbinger of disease
3. Why do complications occur after tooth extraction?
4. How to recognize the problem
5. Diagnostic measures
6. Treatment of alveolitis

After tooth extraction, it is important to monitor the condition of the mucous membrane.
Very often a white coating appears in the extraction area. It frightens patients because it seems something strange to them, and to some it resembles an accumulation of purulent masses. It should be noted that white plaque in the socket after tooth extraction can be either normal or a complication. In the first case we are talking about natural regeneration, in the second - about alveolitis.

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When white plaque is the norm

Nature intended it so that damaged tissues should be protected from the penetration of infectious agents. This is why, after a tooth is removed, a clot and white plaque forms in the socket. The latter is nothing more than fibrin, a protein needed for blood clotting. It protects the wound surface from infection and does not allow the inflammatory process to spread.

At first, the white film seems very thin, but gradually it turns into bone tissue. Some even mistake plaque for food debris and try to remove it with their tongue or using foreign objects. Under no circumstances should this be done. If the wound heals according to plan, there are no severe pain symptoms, there is no need to worry or touch it. This can lead to complications.

So, fibrin in the form of a whitish coating is needed to:

• the wound healed quickly;
• no infection penetrated into the socket;
• soft tissues were not inflamed.

If the patient has questions regarding the white clot on the surface of the damaged gum, he should consult with his dentist. You don't need to do anything yourself.

On the top

The most common complication of extraction of figure eights in the upper jaw is a puncture of the base of the maxillary sinus (maxillary sinus).

Puncture of the bottom of the maxillary sinus

The dental roots of molars number three in the upper jaw are located too close to the base of the sinus, and sometimes even grow into it. Chronic inflammation of the periapical tissue provokes resorption of the axillary septum, due to which the roots of the molars fuse with the mucous membrane inside the sinus. It is this part that most often ruptures during the extraction of the right or left tooth. This complication can be noticed by the following symptoms:

• nasal sound, bleeding air bubbles;
• blood from the nose on the side of the figure eight.

In such a situation, urgent medical assistance is necessary.

When white plaque is a harbinger of disease

It also happens that a whitish coating indicates the development of alveolitis after tooth extraction. This means that the tooth socket has become infected. In this condition, the patient is concerned about:

• severe pain in the area of ​​the removed unit;
• increased body temperature;
• weakness, decreased performance;
• enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes;
• headache;
• unpleasant putrid odor from the mouth and the same taste in the mouth.

If you experience these symptoms, you should make an appointment at the dental clinic as soon as possible.

Is it possible to return to a normal lifestyle?

It is important to pay attention not only to hygienic care of the hole, but also to habits in general. These, as well as lifestyle, can significantly affect healing. Therefore, out of a sense of caution and self-preservation, it is better to temporarily refrain from certain habits. The following points are worth noting:

• It is highly advisable to refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol on the day of surgery (or better yet, several days after). Tobacco dries out the mucous membranes and can cause dry socket syndrome. And alcohol and pills are generally incompatible.
• Do not touch the hole with your tongue or create a vacuum in your mouth. The latter is relevant for those who are used to sucking their lips. These actions can break up the blood clot.
• It is better to refrain from physical education and physical labor for a couple of days, and it is advisable to sleep on a high pillow.
• Ideally, you should avoid high temperatures (steam rooms, baths) and hot compresses, which can cause bleeding.
• After removal, you cannot eat for several hours. Then for at least a week you need to make sure that the food is soft, liquid, not cold and not hot. It is better not only not to chew on the healing side, but also to prevent food from getting there at all.
• You need to brush your teeth very carefully, especially near the wound. In the evening after removal, it is better to abandon the procedure.

Why do complications occur after tooth extraction?

The most common reason for the development of complications is the patient’s failure to comply with medical prescriptions. Normally, the hole should heal within a few days. She shouldn't be sick for a long time. As a result of the fact that the blood clot closes it, it is reliably protected from viruses and food debris.

It happens that a person actively rinses the wound or constantly touches it with his tongue, fingers, and tries to remove the light coating. Then the clot displaces or does not form completely, the tissue becomes infected and alveolitis develops.

Untreated neighboring teeth can also lead to disease (which is why all carious “cavities” need to be treated before removal), and failure to comply with the rules of oral hygiene. If you properly prepare for extraction and follow all the doctor’s instructions, the risk of developing alveolitis after removal will be minimal.

Medicines prescribed by specialists

When the patient has visited the dental center and had a professional treatment of the hole, he must start taking medications to cure the alveolitis. Drugs that have proven their effectiveness include:

• Hexicon. This is an antiseptic drug that is taken topically. You can use it to rinse, make mouth baths, and applications;
• Corsodil. An antiseptic medicine that has a bactericidal effect. It is also used to disinfect the mouth. Corsodil can be used to create applications, irrigation, rinsing;
• Stomatidin. An antiseptic that prevents infection from spreading. You can make applications with it, as well as rinse your mouth;
• Chlorhexidine. Antiseptic, which is known for its wide spectrum of action. It is used to treat the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and treat purulent wounds;
• Eludril. It has an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect.

IMPORTANT! Professional dentists prescribe their own medication to each patient in accordance with the clinical picture and characteristics of the body, therefore it is not recommended to self-medicate so as not to aggravate the condition.

How to recognize the problem

How to understand that white plaque signals a problem?
If the gums heal well, then within 2-3 days after surgery the pain becomes very weak and barely noticeable. The wound closes with a dense clot and practically does not bother the person. With the development of alveolitis on days 3-5, the pain, on the contrary, intensifies. It's pulsating. It can become unbearable. Sometimes it radiates to the entire half of the face. Body temperature rises, lymph nodes enlarge, appetite decreases, salivation becomes stronger. The face may also become swollen.

In such a situation, staying at home is dangerous - inflammation can spread to the deep tissues of the jaw. You need to immediately go to the dental clinic.

Sharp edge of hole

Healthy wound healing involves the presence of two parallel processes: mucosal formation and bone formation. The latter must be protected by a gum or a blood clot. If any of the walls of the hole has an excessively sharp (not rounded) edge, it injures (cuts through) the surrounding mucosa and protrudes, remaining unprotected, in the oral cavity.

A blood clot is a protective barrier that protects the empty socket from infection

This phenomenon can lead to alveolitis or the formation of a so-called sharp edge. After extraction, more than one week may pass, and something white still remains in the hole. On palpation, the depression is compacted and sharp.

What to do if a sharp bone edge has formed: in some cases the problem resolves on its own and does not require medical intervention, in others a minor operation may be necessary. So, under local anesthesia, the dentist will move the edge of the gum in the area of ​​the protruding fragment, remove it with forceps or a drill, and, if necessary, apply a postoperative suture.

Treatment of alveolitis

If alveolitis occurs after tooth extraction, you need to undergo dental treatment aimed at:

• elimination of the infectious focus;
• preventing possible complications;
• maintaining the integrity of the rest of the dentition.

First, the dentist cleans the socket and rinses it. It is important to wash away all purulent masses and dead tissue from it. Antiseptics and hydrogen peroxide work well for this purpose.

To reduce painful symptoms, which deprive the patient of the opportunity to fully rest and work, analgesics are used. It is better to use them by applying applications. Compresses are changed every half hour. It is also possible to take drugs orally, that is, in the form of painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets.

If the patient has concomitant diseases or reduced immunity, the doctor may decide to prescribe antibiotics. They quickly relieve inflammation and speed up the healing of damaged tissue.

If you seek qualified dental care in a timely manner, the prognosis for alveolitis is favorable. After 3-5 days, the symptoms begin to subside, and the person’s well-being improves. Residual socket pain may persist for another 2-3 weeks, but it does not pose a threat.

Carrying out the procedure

The tooth extraction procedure is carried out using effective, modern painkillers, so, as a rule, there is no pain during the operation itself.
The operation begins immediately after the anesthesia takes effect. A scalpel is used to loosen the ligament supporting the tooth.

If the procedure was traumatic, or the edges of the wound are too wide, the dental surgeon may use self-absorbing sutures. But most often, the wound is simply closed with a gauze pad with a special hemostatic agent. To stop bleeding, you need to lightly but firmly press the tampon onto the wound with closed jaws. After 20 minutes, the gauze can be spat out.

After 2–3 months and beyond

The gum gradually hardens, and the space remaining from the tooth is filled with maturing bone tissue. By the beginning of the 4th month, the gum bone tissue completes its formation. The gum can be called completely healed.

If the wound heals with suppuration, then healing of the wound can last up to six months.

Gum healing process

The speed of gum healing depends on several factors:

• individual characteristics of the patient’s immunity;
• the success of the operation;
• location of the extracted tooth.

If the tooth is in a hard-to-reach place, has crooked roots, or its crown has been significantly damaged, then the removal procedure becomes more complicated. During manipulation, the tooth may begin to crumble, leaving fragments in the gum. In this case, it is necessary to cut the gum tissue, detach it from the bone, remove the tooth in parts, and use a drill. These traumatic procedures prolong the period of gum healing after surgery.

Slight swelling of the gums is considered normal. The temperature may rise slightly (due to an immune reaction). The swelling usually subsides within three days.

Noticeable swelling of the gum is also observed after cutting it. This swelling goes away in about one week.