How to Make Clove Oil Paste for Dry Socket

Home-remedy treatments for dry out sockets. –

How to place a clove oil (eugenol) dressing. | Using dearest to treat dry sockets. | When self-treatment makes sense. | Well-nigh the use of OTC medications for pain relief.

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Ten-ray of a tooth extraction site.

How to treat a dry socket at home.

This page discusses various methods you can use on your own to treat a dry socket. They include:

a) The use of oil of cloves (dentists and pharmacists refer to this compound as eugenol).
b) Using honey (the food) as a cure.
c) We also discuss the place of using OTC analgesics (over-the-counter hurting medications) in providing relief from dry out socket discomfort.

When does self-treatment brand a reasonable plan?

As nosotros explain below, self-treating a dry out socket but makes sense equally a first-assist, last-resort type of solution. The kind of stride you take when other, more suitable options don't be.

The virtually comprehensive and effective treatment tin can only exist provided by a dentist. Here'due south what they do. And it's the obligation of the dentist who extracted your tooth to provide yous with whatsoever postoperative care you require.

COVID-19 / Handling admission considerations.

Due to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, many patients will find that their dentist's office is non keeping regular part hours.

Some level of support should notwithstanding be available.

In the case that y'all discover yourself in need of help with dry socket complications, don't overlook the fact that nigh offices should still exist offering emergency assistance for their patients and fully look you to take advantage of that if needed.

Domicile remedy solutions.

In lieu of that availability, this folio does discuss basic abode remedies that are used with dry sockets. Only keep in heed that this information is however best used in conjunction with your dentist'south direct advice (phone contact) since they are the i most knowledgeable about your example specifics and therefore how the data we provide applies to your situation.

Methods of treating a dry out socket on your own.

Note: Using self remedies can't fully duplicate the level of care that a dentist can provide (see discussion below). They should only be considered to exist first assistance treatment and appropriate for situations where the attending of a dental professional is not possible.

A dry socket.

Picture of a dry socket.

Dry socket treatment usually includes the placement of a eugenol dressing in the opening of the wound.

a) Eugenol (clove oil) dressings.

Background.

What is Eugenol?

Eugenol is an oily liquid that's too referred to every bit "oil of cloves." Information technology creates the smell that yous typically associate with a dental office. (Not just because your dentist treats a lot of dry sockets. It's used for other dental purposes also.)

It can be purchased on an over-the-counter basis (without a prescription). Ask your pharmacist well-nigh suitable products and availability.
If you'd like more background nigh eugenol, including data about its therapeutic uses, here's a link to the National Institutes of Health web page that discusses information technology.

How to treat a dry socket using clove oil (eugenol).

Animation showing that a eugenol dressing is placed in the opening of the tooth's dry socket.

The eugenol dressing is placed in the opening of the tooth'due south socket.

The tooth's socket should first be cleaned by rinsing it very gently with lukewarm h2o or saline solution.
The idea is that the liquid should gently lift and behave abroad whatever loose debris is present. Spit out the liquid when finished.
Prepare a dressing by placing one drop of eugenol (oil of cloves) on a carrier, such as a piece of cotton or gauze that's been shaped into a 1/4 inch ball or cube.
The specific dimensions of the carrier should exist tailored to the size of your wound. It needs to be minor plenty that it fits into the socket hands merely as well large enough that it helps to forestall food droppings from accumulating.

Information technology must also be large enough that it can be easily grasped and recovered when it's time for it to be removed.

In terms of density (sponginess), the carrier should be soft enough that information technology easily slides into the socket. Only also dense plenty that the wetness of the eugenol or oral liquids doesn't utterly plummet it. As some other consideration, it must also be dense plenty that information technology can be expected to retain the applied eugenol.
Using tweezers, briefly and lightly drag the dressing beyond a textile to draw away excess eugenol from it.
(You want the eugenol only practical inside your tooth's socket. Yous don't want it to menses into your rima oris. Nor do you want any of information technology to drip off the dressing onto soft oral tissues when transporting it. See eugenol precautions discussed below.)

Once prepared, gently insert the completed dressing down into the opening of your tooth'southward socket (loosely placed, not compacted). It's expected that the top of the dressing volition lie at a level below the gum line.
The dressing is removed, discarded and then replaced with a fresh one (using this same set of instructions) every 24 hours until the dry socket's pain has subsided.
Management of the dressing is an important consideration. Your body considers it a "foreign body" and as such it interferes with the healing procedure. (The trade-off with treatment is that pain relief is obtained at the expense of delaying healing slightly.)
In all cases, your treatment needs to finish and any dressing removed once your symptoms accept subsided sufficiently (like at that bespeak when the utilize of an over-the-counter pain reliever is able to keep you comfortable). This point should be reached within 4 to 5 days.
At whatsoever betoken when the attention of a dentist or other healthcare provider becomes bachelor, you should study to them what steps you have taken, terminate performing further cocky-treatments and follow their instructions.

▲ Section references – Bowe, Menon, NWCG

Precautions you should exist enlightened of with eugenol.

While the employ of eugenol in the treatment of dry sockets is common and routine, it'south not a very bio-friendly medication.

Due to its cytotoxic effects (effects harmful to living cells), it can cause soft tissue irritation, or outright tissue damage. You should take precautions that the eugenol y'all apply within your socket does not come into contact with oral soft tissues.
It'southward possible for eugenol to cause os necrosis. This is typically associated with its utilize in high concentrations (large amounts), or for extended periods of time (weeks).

▲ Department references – Navas, Sarrami, Jovanovic

The potential for these side effects is why the instructions above include the footstep of removing excess eugenol from the carrier before inserting it into the socket. And generally why this technique should only be used as a last resort and just for those very few days until your dentist'south services become bachelor and they tin take over your dry socket's management.

Additional things to know virtually treating dry sockets with eugenol.

In most cases, the clove oil volition begin to provide pain relief within the hour, possibly even inside minutes.
You lot may still detect it necessary to use an over-the-counter pain reliever for additional pain relief.
Common choices are ibuprofen (Motrin®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®). (Read your production'southward directions and stay inside its guidelines.)
As mentioned above, make sure to go lite with the corporeality/concentration of eugenol placed on the carrier. If some of this liquid comes into contact (drips off, touches) other parts of your mouth (soft tissues, tongue) equally the dressing is being inserted, it will sting or burn. You may also find it's taste unpleasant.

b) Treating dry sockets with honey.

Groundwork.

Virtually people don't associate dear (the common foodstuff) with having therapeutic backdrop. In fact though, it has a long history of existence used equally a medicine over the ages. And in recent decades the medical community has begun to rediscover its potential in treating wounds.

Recent dental studies.

1) Ayub et al. (2013) –

Title: Upshot of the Honey of Postal service Extraction Soft Tissue Healing of the Socket .

This paper evaluated the use of love equally an help in extraction site healing. And while we realize that this topic is a different one from treating dry sockets per se, we are going to mention that this study concluded that:

While information technology's effect on hastening socket healing could not exist definitively determined, no detrimental side effects were identified.

Nosotros remember that confirmation of that point is of import.

ii) Singh et al. (2014) –

Title: Honey a sugariness approach to alveolar osteitis: A report.

This study specifically did evaluate the utilize of honey in treating dry out sockets. The dressing used was sterile gauze soaked with honey, removed and replaced daily until the bailiwick'due south pain symptoms had subsided.

The paper stated that this handling resulted in:

A significant reduction of inflammation, hyperemia (increased claret menstruation to the region of the socket), edema (swelling) and exudation (fluid oozing from the wound) …
… and these reductions led to the creation of a soothing effect and a reduction in the patient's level of pain and discomfort.

It should be stated that:

No comparison was made in regard to the effectiveness of honey vs. eugenol-based dressings.
No side furnishings of using honey were identified.

Except for the potential of an allergic reaction (which would also be a consideration for any other compound likewise), the authors concluded that the use of honey could be considered a feasible alternative in the direction of dry sockets.

iii) Soni et al. (2016)

Title: Effects of beloved in the management of alveolar osteitis: A report.

Like the previous report, this one too evaluated the use of love specifically in the handling of dry sockets. In this case, the group of exam subjects numbered 50.

The dressing involved was simply pure honey on a carrier of sterile cotton. The dressing was placed in the socket and changed daily for the showtime two days, then every other 24-hour interval.

The report's findings included:

A reduction in patient hurting over the course of treatment. – Collectively, the report subjects rated their level of hurting initially as 7.3 (out of 10). Followed by 4.7 on day 2, two.2 on day iii and .7 on solar day 5.
A decrease in the level of swelling. – A reduction of 25% on solar day 2, 63% on day 3 and 89% by day 5.
A pregnant reduction in blood CRP levels pre vs. mail service-treatment. – The study used c-reactive protein (CRP) levels in their subjects' blood as a measure of inflammation and therefore prove of the effectiveness of the honey handling.
Visual inspection of the bailiwick'due south dry out sockets showed evidence of the formation of granulation tissue over the exposed bone (a sign of the resumption of the healing process) in about ane week.

Similar to the Singh study higher up, no direct comparison was fabricated with treatment involving a eugenol-based dressing. Only besides similarly, no side effects were identified with the use of this technique.

▲ Section references – Ayub, Singh, Soni

Should y'all use the dear method?

Cons

At this point in time, it's like shooting fish in a barrel plenty to state that few dental professionals in the Usa apply honey to treat dry out sockets. The current standard seems to be that of using eugenol (clove oil)-based dressings.

We'd have to presume that this choice is made due to its comparative effectiveness. Notwithstanding, information technology may be that it'southward not used more merely because dentists are unaware of it or are waiting until it has been further evaluated.

Pros

The main advantages of using love seem to be information technology's simplicity, availability and less potential for creating side furnishings.

How to treat a dry socket using honey.

Animation showing that a honey dressing is placed in the opening of the tooth's dry socket.

The honey dressing is placed in the opening of the tooth's socket.

The molar'southward socket should be cleansed by rinsing it very gently with water or saline solution.
The idea is that the liquid should gently lift and carry abroad whatsoever loose debris is present. Spit out the liquid when finished.
Create a carrier by shaping a piece of cotton wool or gauze into a 1/4 inch ball or cube. Using tweezers, saturate the carrier by dipping information technology into honey.
Using tweezers, insert the dressing (the carrier saturated with honey) into the opening of the tooth's socket (loosely placed, not compacted).
The dressing is removed, discarded and then replaced with a fresh one (using this same prepare of instructions) every 24 hours until the dry out socket's hurting has subsided.

In one case the attention of a dentist or other healthcare provider becomes available, you should study to them what steps you have taken, cease performing farther self-treatments and follow their instructions.

c) Using over-the-counter hurting medications to relieve dry socket pain.

In some instances, OTC analgesics (pain pills) alone may exist able to control the discomfort acquired past a dry socket.

Ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) or acetaminophen (Tylenol®) are ofttimes used for this purpose. (Yous'll demand to read your chosen product's directions and stay inside its guidelines.)
For severe cases, you'll probably observe that your level of pain is likewise overwhelming and they don't provide satisfactory relief. (Prescription analgesics, on their own, are typically ineffective besides).
The almost effective handling involves placing a medicated dressing in your extraction site. And, every bit mentioned above, preferably by your dentist.

Note: Always keep in listen that hurting pills are meant to be swallowed. Placing i on, or in the region of, your dry socket volition not be effective and volition upshot in extraction site irritation.

Why self-treatment for a dry socket doesn't make the best selection.

A home-remedy arroyo tin can't duplicate your dentist's care. Hither's why:

As with any type of post-extraction complication, it'southward ever all-time to have a dentist's evaluation.
Drawing on their expertise they can decide what the most likely cause of your problem is and how it should be treated. (Only considering you lot retrieve you accept a dry out socket [alveolar osteitis] doesn't hateful that you actually do.)
They'll accept all of the tools and equipment needed to properly visualize your wound and perform your treatment as effectively and quickly equally possible.
For example, ineffectual cleansing of debris from the tooth socket could aid in the formation of a secondary infection. Failing to remove the gauze or cotton wool carrier equally described to a higher place could practise the same, or result in other complications.
The dressing that your dentist places will almost certainly comprise a number of boosted ingredients (coldhearted, antimicrobial agents, etc…) that, collectively, are more beneficial and constructive than simply a home remedy alone.

Times when cocky-handling may make sense.

One situation where a dentist might recommend cocky-treatment is when it's used to supplement the level of care they can provide. Doing then might let you lot to obtain relief during those times when they're not available (after hours, weekends).

In this type of situation, the medication that's used might be eugenol (like outlined in our home-remedy in a higher place). More than likely, your dentist will dispense to y'all a pocket-size amount of the medicated dressing they employ when providing care in their function.

◄ Our previous folio discusses how dentists treat dry sockets.

Page references sources:

Ayub et al. Effect of the Dear of Post Extraction Soft Tissue Healing of the Socket.

Bowe DC, et al. The direction of dry socket/alveolar osteitis.

Jovanovic G, et al. Maxillary osteonecrosis caused by toxic effect of zinc-oxide-eugenol paste.

Menon A, et al. Dental Working Grouping Meeting Summary Study

Navas RMA, et al. Case Written report: Belatedly Complication of a Dry Socket Treatment

NWCG. Clinical Handling Guidelines for Wildland Burn Medical Units.

Sarrami Due north, et al. Adverse reactions associated with the apply of eugenol in dentistry.

Singh et al. Honey a sweet approach to alveolar osteitis: A report.

Soni et al. Effects of honey in the management of alveolar osteitis: A study.

All reference sources for topic Dry out Sockets.