OST Blog

When you have a tooth extracted, your body immediately sets to work to help protect the affected area. The blood that collects at the site of the extraction clots to cover and protect the wound. This is a normal response, and protects the nerves and bone that have been exposed with the removal of your tooth. Normally, the gum tissue will close over the area within a few weeks.

But sometimes the clot becomes dislodged or moved before you have a chance to heal. The result is that the nerves and bone in the extraction site are exposed to air and outside substances. Bacteria can contaminate the wound and lead to pain, infection, and further damage. This condition is known as dry socket.

There are certain activities that should definitely be avoided so you are not at risk for dry socket.

• Straws and suction: The action of using a straw causes suction that can dislodge the clot. You can still enjoy the soothing coolness of a milkshake, but use a spoon.
• Spitting: You might be tempted to rinse and spit immediately to clean your mouth, but spitting can also dislodge the clot. We will let you know how to clean your mouth and teeth for the next few days.
• Smoking: Not only does smoking provide a suction effect that can remove the clot, but smoking and chewing tobacco can slow healing as well.

There are also steps you can take to aid the healing process.

• Caring for your extraction site

Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter will give you instructions on caring for your mouth and teeth for the next few days. Gentle care for the extraction site is vital. And treat yourself gently as well. Rest if you need to, and avoid activities that might impact your wound.

• Think about your diet

Stick to soft foods for the first day or so and chew on the side opposite your extraction site. Carbonated and caffeinated beverages should be avoided, as well as food like peanuts or popcorn that lodge in the teeth.

• Watch for symptoms of dry socket

How do you know if you have a dry socket? Monitor your pain and the appearance of the site after the extraction. For the first few days, you might feel some pain in the immediate area. Pain that intensifies after three or four days is usually not a result of the extraction. An unpleasant odor or taste in your mouth could be a sign of dry socket. You might look in the mirror and notice that the clot is no longer there, or appears to have been dislodged. If any of these symptoms occur, call our Virginia Beach, VA office at once. If you are experiencing dry socket, the extraction site needs to be cleaned and protected from further injury, and we can prescribe antibiotics if needed.

Dry socket is a rare occurrence, but if you have any symptoms that concern you, we want to hear about them. We will work with you to make your extraction go as smoothly as possible. Talk to us about your concerns before any procedure, and we will provide detailed information for the healing process. Keep us in the loop as you recuperate, and we will work together to make your recovery a speedy one.

Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday each September here in the United States, is a holiday devoted to the American working community. The purpose of the holiday is honoring the country's workers and their contributions to the strength of our country as a whole.

How Labor Day Started

There is actually some debate as to the origins of Labor Day. It is uncertain whether Peter McGuire, a cofounder for the American Federation of Labor, or Matthew Maguire, who was the secretary of Central Labor Union of New York, had the great idea. However, the Central Labor Union's plans were what launched the first Labor Day in America.

The First Labor Day

The very first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5th, 1882. The Central Labor Union then held annual celebrations on September 5th for what they called a working man's holiday. By the year 1885, the Labor Day celebration had spread to many different industrial areas, and after that it began spreading to all industries in the United States.

Labor Day Today

Labor Day today is a huge United States holiday during which we honor the country's workers with a day of rest and relaxation or a day of picnics and parades. This holiday is truly one to honor the many people who work hard to contribute to the economic well-being of our great country!

Our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater hopes all of our patients celebrate Labor Day, and every holiday, safely and happily. Whether you stay in the Virginia Beach, VA area, or travel out of town, have fun, and don't forget to brush!

You have probably heard of dry socket before, but have never investigated exactly what it involves. This is understandable, after all, nobody really wants to think about having complications when they have a tooth pulled. You may be surprised to learn that dry socket, medically known as alveolar osteitis, only happens to a tiny percentage (between two and five percent) of people having tooth extractions, and that it is quite easy to treat.

Dry Socket Symptoms

Dry socket symptoms generally begin with pain in the area where the tooth was pulled. Over time, untreated dry socket can result in pain that radiates to the ear area as well. Other typical symptoms include bad breath and having a consistently bad taste or smell in the mouth.

You may notice dry socket symptoms immediately after a tooth extraction, or it could take a few days. This all depends upon the formation of the protective blood clot that should exist over the area where the tooth used to be.

How Dry Socket Happens

After a tooth extraction, a small protective blood clot should form in the area where the tooth had been. The purpose of this blood clot is to cover, and thereby protect, the now-exposed bone and nerve network. Occasionally, this blood clot can dissolve prematurely or it can move away from the proper area, leaving the area fully exposed to everything that goes into the mouth. When air, food, beverages, mouthwash, and any other substances touch the delicate nerves and exposed bone, infection — and the pain that goes along with it — is often the result.

Help for Dry Socket

It is important to contact Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter to get help for dry socket as soon as you think there may be a problem. We can help by cleaning the socket, extracting any debris that has gotten into the area, and packing the area with a medicated paste or gauze. This medicated dressing will need to be changed regularly to promote the fastest healing.

Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter may also give you a prescription for antibiotics that will assist in faster healing, if necessary. Generally, you can use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

Our bodies are marvels of self-healing. White blood cells fight infection. Osteoblast cells work to restore broken bones. Skin cells regenerate to repair small injuries daily. So naturally, some of the most exciting innovations in medicine are ways to help our bodies do their repair work more quickly and efficiently. The use of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in dental surgeries is one such innovation.

Refresh my memory on platelets?

Our blood has four primary components, which we normally think of in terms of these traditional biological functions:

• Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the cells throughout the body
• White blood cells protect against and fight infection
• Platelets promote blood clotting after an injury
• Plasma, the liquid component of blood, moves all of these cells, along with nutrients and other substances, throughout the body.

But, of course, the science of our blood is more complex than these blood basics, and platelets do much more than help us reduce bleeding after an injury.

In fact, platelets are not really cells, but cell fragments. They have no nucleus and live only five to nine days. Yet, they play a crucial role in the healing process.

Components of platelets called alpha granules contain growth factors. These growth factors are vital in wound healing. When the body suffers an injury, platelets are rushed to the site, where the numerous proteins present in various growth factors are released into the wound. There, they stimulate stem cells to produce new tissue. There is even a growth factor called bone morphogenetic protein which specifically mobilizes cells to produce new bone tissue.

At this point, you might be thinking, “Wait! No need to refresh my memory quite so thoroughly!” In that case, let’s look at how Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter can use a concentration of your own platelets to enhance the healing process after oral surgery.

It’s clear how important platelets are for dental patients: not only do they reduce bleeding, but they promote soft tissue healing and even bone regeneration. Moving more platelets to the surgical site would provide more growth factors to recovering cells more quickly, leading to accelerated healing and regeneration. This is the function of Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Creating PRP

After a small amount of your blood is collected, it is centrifuged in order to concentrate a large number of platelets in a small amount of plasma. This process takes only about 15 minutes, and can be done in our Virginia Beach, VA oral surgery office. It is then ready for immediate use, usually mixed with a bone grafting material.

Which oral surgeries can benefit from PRP?

Studies have shown beneficial results in bone regeneration and density, as well as accelerated soft tissue healing, when PRP is used in procedures such as:

• Dental implant surgery
• Sinus lifts
• Ridge augmentation
• Treating bone loss after tooth extraction
• Periodontal surgery

In fact, Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter might recommend PRP for any surgery where more rapid bone regeneration and enhanced soft tissue healing are desirable.

PRP is a safe addition to oral surgery procedures

The platelets are furnished by your own body, so there is no danger of rejection, reaction, or disease transmission. Aging patients, in particular, might benefit from the regenerative and healing properties of Platelet-Rich Plasma.

If you are planning on oral surgery in the near future, you’ve probably made a wish list: a skilled surgeon, the most effective surgical procedure for your needs, and a quick, healthy recovery.

By choosing an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, you have already made sure of the first two items on your list.

As for your recovery time? If you are scheduled for any surgery that would benefit from bone or tissue regeneration, ask Dr. Ford and Dr. Guter about Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy. Using your own platelets to accelerate healing? That’s a true marvel!