The stage of your dry socket after a tooth extraction will play a significant role in the amount of pain you experience during exercise. Anytime you experience an increasing amount of pain after a tooth extraction or after being treated for dry socket, always consult with your dentist. There are several steps that can be taken to reduce your pain.
Identification
A dry socket that has not been treated will result in severe throbbing pain within a week of your tooth extraction. The pain is so intense that you can rarely get relief with an over-the-counter pain medication. You may have bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth. The pain can be localized or it can radiate from the extraction site to your ear, eyes, temple or neck. If you have an untreated dry socket, you will feel the pain at all times, not only while exercising. If your dry socket has been treated, you will have less pain, but vigorous exercises could result in pain. Pain may be especially noticeable during exercises where your feet forcefully hit the ground such as with running or jump roping.
Cause
After a tooth extraction, a blood clot forms to protect your bone and nerves and initiates healing of the socket. If the clot is prematurely dislodged or does not form properly, your bone and nerves are exposed to air and debris. Dry sockets are most common from extractions of premolars or molars, especially impacted wisdom teeth of the lower jaw. Exercise while the extraction site heals can dislodge the blood clot and cause dry socket. Smoking, drinking from a straw, oral contraceptives and a tooth infection can increase your risk of dry socket.
Treatment
If you haven't gone to the dentist for dry socket, make an appointment as soon as possible. Your dentist will rinse the socket to remove debris and pack the socket with a medicate dressing. Some dressings will dissolve on their own and others will need to be changed daily by your dentist. In the meantime, you can reduce pain and promote healing by applying a cold pack to the side of your face, rinsing with warm salt water and gently brushing around the dry socket. Pain medication will often be prescribed to relieve pain. Once the medicated dressing is not needed, you will use a plastic syringe to rinse the socket. If you're currently being treated for dry socket and the pain only occurs while exercising, stop exercising. New granulation tissue will form and cover exposed bone within 10 days and then you can resume exercise.
Prevention
To prevent dry socket from occurring, follow your dentist's exact instructions. Avoid vigorous exercise, drinking from a straw, smoking and spitting after a tooth extraction. Keep the area clean by gently brushing around the socket. Your dentist may have you use an antibacterial rinse and apply the medicated dressing as a preventative measure of dry socket. If you're already being treated for dry socket, keep all your appointments with your dentist until the dry socket is healed. Avoid exercising if it causes pain until healing is complete.
