Wisdom Teeth Extraction and Drinking through a Straw
 

I had my Wisdom teeth taken out a week ago today.

Does anyone know how long it is before I can start drinking through a straw again before having to worry about dry sockets? My oral surgeon left a lot to be desired on giving me a time period for anything.

your oral surgeon is not very good then! Call up your surgeon, and ASK! You don't want to risk infection/dry sockets because you were ignorant- so call and ask! The answer will probably be different for different folks anyway, because everyone is different!

Well, I figured that. They're just closed at the moment and I've got a long weekend ahead of me so I figured it'd be worth asking online in case somebody knew.

Give it AS LONG AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!!
I had dry sockets after my wisdom teeth were ripped from my gums. Mind you, I did not drink from any straws to cause it. Just happened. Let me tell you what they do when you get them. First you notice a pain in your gums, kind of a piercing pain. Then you look and see a gaping hole in your gums. No pleasant. Especially when you collect food in them.

You go in, and they take this little cloth piece that has a plastic wire in it to make it bendy. It is soaked in what could be betadine, or some other god awful tasting concoction. They place it in the hole....grab that metal hook used for checking for cavities, and JAM it into the hole...hard. They hit every nerve in your jaw when they grind that baby in there, you might feel it in your balls even. (If you have balls.) Then with that done, and your jaw now throbbing, you leave. It does feel better shortly after, but you have to go in every other day to have that thing changed for about a week or more.

Avoid the straw! it isn't worth it! I say go strawless for at least 2 weeks. More if you can make it. Hope this helps.

The common time they are supposed to tell you is 24-48 hours (no smoking or drinking thru a straw) You should be fine now.

Oh and the stuff they put on those little gauze strips is clove oil...at least that what its always been for me...its not gross to me because I love the taste and smell of cloves :)

This is great advice!!!!

I hear about people all the time - including my wife - that forget to ask all the questions they might have before leaving a caregiver's office. You have to take personal responsibility. Doctors are busy people and some forget. Most will take the time if you have questions. If they don't/won't, it may be time to find a new one.

I try to think about a visit as if I own it, which I do. As such, I'll visualize things and write down as many questions as possible. Then, I write down new questions while I'm there. I certainly have no problem calling back after I leave with more questions. After all, I'm the one that lives with this body for the rest of my life, and I have to take full ownership!!