Comments on: Should I set these wisdom teeth clots free?

Question: Should I set these wisdom teeth clots free?

miniminimarket — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:52:40 -0800

WisdomTeethFilter: I had my bottom two out yesterday afternoon. After changing the gauze the first time, I noticed I had little stringy, thin tissues hanging from each hole. I called my surgeon, who said losing these initial clots was normal and not dry socket. Problem is, they haven't dissolved or broken off like I hoped. I'm worried they'll end up pulling up my real clots out. So, should I cut them? Pull them? Leave 'em be?

They're long enough to sort of feel curling below my gums or in my cheek. Also, they don't taste great. Has anyone else had this? I will do pretty much anything to avoid dry socket.

By: Inspector.Gadget

Inspector.Gadget — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:06:52 -0800

Those are common. I had them after my wisdom teeth were removed and they disintegrated over the course of a few days; I had no problems with dry socket. I wouldn't mess with them any more than you absolutely have to.

By: vernondalhart

vernondalhart — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:11:30 -0800

It took a few days for mine to go away, too. I was constantly wanting to cut them out, but I decided to wait, which was likely best.

By: QueenHawkeye

QueenHawkeye — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:16:10 -0800

Just leave them alone, it's the best thing to do. I also had all four of my wisdom teeth surgically removed, and the surgeon said that it was normal, and to leave them alone.

By: sektah

sektah — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:16:31 -0800

Same when I had my wisdom teeth out. It was weird for a few days, but they disappeared soon after.

By: DJWeezy

DJWeezy — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:27:11 -0800

I would recommend leaving them alone, when I had my wisdom teeth out I'm not sure what I did but I got dry sockets. This was by far the worst pain I have even been in. Avoid it at all costs.

By: lunasol

lunasol — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:37:07 -0800

Leave them alone. You really just do not want to be messing with anything back there.

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:42:13 -0800

They could just be gum trauma, bits of tissue dislodged by having teeth yanked, or from the stitching, or from any of the implements they used to get them out. I am firmly in the leave 'em be camp.

By: PercussivePaul

PercussivePaul — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 11:26:54 -0800

This happened to me when I was a kid and my dad insisted on trying to cut them. He got out the scissors but they weren't sharp enough; all he succeeded in doing was pulling on them really hard (which HURT!); they did not come out easily. So, I don't recommend you attempt pulling or cutting.

By: grapefruitmoon

grapefruitmoon — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 12:44:50 -0800

For comfort reasons, I soaked my gauze in saline solution (like for contacts) before sticking it in my mouth (so it wouldn't get *stuck* to the clots and was the same pH as the rest of my mouth). Perhaps if you try something like this, the clots will dissolve faster.

That would be my only recommendation beyond DON'T PICK AT THEM.

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:23:52 -0800

Leave them alone.

Your whole mouth is going to taste like crap for at least another week. This is normal.

If you think something abnormal might be going on, don't talk to AskMe; talk to your surgeon.

By: miniminimarket

miniminimarket — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:42:48 -0800

They turned out to be pieces of my mouth stitches (which I didn't know I had) mixed with a little bit of bloody tissue. They dissolved after a few days. Or I ate them. Either way I am dry socket free, PercussivePaul's story convinced me to leave them alone.