The healing process of a tooth extraction (a pictorial)
filed in Can You believe this? on Jan.14, 2009
Okay, so I had a bad dental experience last Thursday. I had to get my tooth taken out (twice). If you haven’t read about my agony (with some humor), you can read it here. And does anyone find it funny that they tell you NOT to put your tongue in the extraction hole….and yet….WHILE they are telling you that….the first thing you do is stick your tongue in there? lol
I’ve chronicled my ‘healing process’ in photos.
Forgive the yellowing on my teeth, I haven’t been able to brush as well near the extraction site. Btw, looking for a good oral surgeon in Northeast Ohio? Try Dr. Michael Hudec, in Middleburg Hts. He’s a credit to his profession. He fixed the mess that was left by the dentist. He has a clean office, is nice, friendly and most important….HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. (which I’ve come to realize is, ummm, very important!)

DAY 2 (Day after extraction)
Most of the pain was from the 1st dentist who apparently was not experienced enough to pull this tooth and after pulling parts of it, decided to send me to an oral surgeon when she couldn’t get it all out.
I think one of the hardest things is not being able to blow my nose. Something to do with ‘negative pressure’ which can cause the blood clot inside the empty tooth socket to get blown out and creating a very painful dry socket. Apparently even though I was stuffed full with bone grafting material, I could still have this problem??

DAY 3
*Note: What is this white stuff? Is it possibly new tissue growth? It’s creepy. It feels like a weightless gel. Like, if you touch it with your tongue, it feels like ‘nothing’. Unless you look in a mirror as you touch it, it doesn’t feel like you’re actually touching anything.

DAY 4
The stitches are realllly annoying. You can sorta see one of them in the second pic here between the weird white stuff and the tooth above it.
Weird white creepy gel like stuff is ‘growing’ or getting larger in overall area (I think)

DAY 5
Looking better, feeling fine. You can see one of the stitches very well in these pics. I think that annoying little ‘ball’ is the end of the stitch….and in the second pic you can see a full stitch (and the ball at the end) running along side one of my teeth. NOTE: Where did all that creepy white stuff go? I went to bed, it was there. Woke up…gone. I checked on my pillowcase and it wasn’t there. hmmmmm. I think I swallowed it. YUCK! I no longer think this was new developing tissue, I’m pretty sure it was dead tissue. Which is even nastier if I swallowed it in my sleep. OMG.
Everyone is probably enjoying the fact that I still cannot yell. (which sucks, because I’m good at that)


DAY 6
Looks like I’m healing quite nicely if I do say so m’self! All 3 stitches are now visable. And that big ball on the end of the one stitch is more annoying than ever as it flaps a little as the swelling keeps going down. Still have a small bit of decomposition or whatever that funky stuff is…but I’m sure I’ll be digesting that in my sleep tonight. (Thank God I’m on a strong antibiotic or I would have all kinds of freaky visions, lol)













January 14th, 2009 on 7:56 am
and I thought the “pictorial” thing was a joke! I have a dentist and everything tooth related phobia. My 5 year old can sit on a dentist chair without fiddling. I just can’t.
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January 14th, 2009 on 9:26 am
Um… sorry… the pictures… um… yeah… ok… I’m glad you’re healing, lol.
January 14th, 2009 on 10:29 am
Wow, that looks really painful Sheila. Fell well friend.
January 14th, 2009 on 10:38 am
You are giving me dental flashbacks, Sheila! (((screams)))
Hope you feel better!
January 14th, 2009 on 12:09 pm
YIKES!!!! I hope everything heals up nicely!
January 14th, 2009 on 1:28 pm
I can’t, I just can’t. Sorry. Glad it’s healing, though.
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January 14th, 2009 on 3:24 pm
OWIEEEEEEE!!!!
Oh hun, I am so sorry. I’ve had about 16 teeth removed in my lifetime (12 of them babyteeth), and it’s just awful. I feel your pain. Hope you’re healing and feeling better soon.
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January 14th, 2009 on 3:33 pm
Uhm, ew on swallowing your tooth jelly. Although I did find your pictorial informative. I’m never going to the dentist again, thanks. It does look much better by the end, glad you’re healing up well.
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January 14th, 2009 on 4:15 pm
YOuch!!!! glad it is healing, but seriously did you have to give us a pictorial, lol!!
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January 14th, 2009 on 10:59 pm
Oh gracious. That looks terribly painful.
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January 15th, 2009 on 12:05 am
I totally had a similar experience about 5 years ago. It was the first time in my life that I could understand addiction to pain killers. Ouch!
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January 15th, 2009 on 2:44 am
Oh man you are a trooper! I hate having dental work it freaks me out! I had to laugh a little, ok a lot about you swallowing the “white stuff” in your sleep. I totally feel you, that kinda stuff freaks me out! lol I hope you are feeling better now! (((HUGS)))
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January 15th, 2009 on 11:40 am
I don’t know if you know or not but yesterday I went in for a root canal and an extraction. I have to say the root canal was much worse for me than the extraction, I felt absolutely no pressure when he puleed it, in fact I didn’t even know he pulled it. Today though I surely know it, I’m aching quite a bit thank god for vicodine.
Sheila I was so nervouse going in for this it was silly then I read your blog on how bad yours went, oh me oh my then I was really really nervous, I shouldn’t have read that before going in.
My wife said Sheila didn’t need to take her vicodine, I told her I guess I’m a wussy cause I’m needin em.. How long before the soreness goes away??
January 15th, 2009 on 1:56 pm
Oh boy. I’m scared to go to the dentist now. Thanks for the pictures (I think) and the play by play especially when the white stuff disappeared. LOL!
January 19th, 2009 on 10:05 am
Wow, you were able to document the healing process. It must have been quite an ordeal. I’m glad that you’re healing well.
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February 6th, 2009 on 3:10 pm
THank you so much for sharing your pictures, I just had two extractions done yesterday and I was getting scared as I had no idea what to expect in terms of healing, but I can see my gums look similar to yours, thank I feel 100% better. Thanks again!
March 20th, 2009 on 12:53 pm
Bless you for posting these pictures. I just had an extraction & was afraid of the “white stuff.” Dental office said it’s normal, & now seeing your photos most definitely confirms it. Thank you!!!
March 25th, 2009 on 2:05 pm
Hey just wanted to say thanks for publishing the pictures of your teeth and the healing process that followed. I just had a tooth pulled a couple of days ago and started flapping big style when the “white stuff” appeared, then i saw that you experienced the same and was greatly relieved….I’m off to the pub to celebrate
Thanks Again
April 12th, 2009 on 10:17 am
Yeah, thanks for posting these. Seriously. I had no idea what to expect, and I am at the white jelly phase, and was FREAKING out! ha. Thank you.
April 20th, 2009 on 7:33 pm
It seems this white stuff scared everyone! I also had a back molar pulled 3 days ago and thought I had a bad infection when the white stuff appeared. thanks
May 6th, 2009 on 1:16 pm
I had a 2 teeth pulled yesterday one top back left and one bottom back left, The bottom had a severe infection and still does and Im so glad 2 read this and see that Im not the only one with white coating forming over the gums. Thanks for the info and the pics as well I found them useful. Hope mine heals as well as yours seems 2 have. Thanks for the info again…
May 10th, 2009 on 12:15 am
Hello,
I just wanted to say thank you for tracking this for us to see. I just had a molar extracted on Thu. 05/07 and I have been looking for some insight on the healing process, and have been REALLY unlucky until…..I found your page. This really helps me out!
June 1st, 2009 on 7:41 pm
hey! thanks for the pictures! i was really worried about the “white stuff” too! i just got a tooth pulled 3 days ago and its at that phase and i was freaking out.
June 2nd, 2009 on 8:00 pm
I guess we can’t thank you enough ! Reading and seeing your blog sure makes
me feel a whole lot better . I had 3 extractions done in Mexico and with no insurance I was starting to worry , although if medical attention is needed ” well it’s a must ” . Thank’s Bunches
June 5th, 2009 on 9:45 am
Ok..thanks for pics..I had tooth bottom 2nd molar pulled and was worried if I was healing right!!! Good job on the pics too, I might add. A little weird but in the end…it’s things we all want to know and see but don’t actually ask or look!! Did you have a nasty taste in your mouth too during healing…YUK
June 18th, 2009 on 5:04 pm
I actually loved it. got me teeth pulled out yesterday and i can see traces of the whitish stuff.guess its healing nicely then hmmm. very funny blog though. laughed me ass out. nice. thanks for sharing.x
August 9th, 2009 on 2:25 pm
Thanks for the pictorial. I was searching to see if this white stuff over my extraction site was normal. You never know who you might be helping when you take time post on the web. THANKS for taking the time.
Smiles,
Lee
August 9th, 2009 on 7:33 pm
Thanks, for the information, I too was seaching to see if the white stuff was normal, and your blog was the only place i found info on it, now i know it is fine and can rest well tonight thanks!!
August 30th, 2009 on 12:25 pm
Thank you very much for your extraction photos and information. Just had my wisdom tooth yanked out and was worried I had an infection or early signs of a dry socket. Your images helped put my mind at ease.
September 6th, 2009 on 9:28 am
Another thanks for putting my mind at ease about the creepy white stuff. All of these people worried about their white stuff makes me wonder why our dentists didn’t tell us not to freak out if we get creepy white stuff?
September 9th, 2009 on 5:17 pm
Thank you!!!! Have been panicking all day after seeing white bits in my extraction hole. Thought it was infection , or being ignorant, some tooth still buried in there!!!
This is the only thing I found on the web and i feel so reassured. Thank you xxx
September 22nd, 2009 on 10:16 am
Sheila, thanks for the photos! I too was wondering about the white stuff but now I can rest easy until my appointment in 3 days. Had I not found your pics, I was going to pop by the dentist today at lunch and have him take a look! Best of luck to all of the recently extracted who have posted here, hope your procedures weren’t all that bad
October 9th, 2009 on 4:07 pm
thanks i had on of mine done yesterday and already is covered in the white stuff but its a big weight off knowing that its normal thanks for the info i know what to look for now
October 11th, 2009 on 10:20 am
Thank you for putting your photos online! I had my molar removed 3 days ago and it has that white stuff in it.
Now, if only someone would have been brave enough to show their drainage tube from oral surgery! I just had mine pulled out yesterday. I was not brave enough to look at it that long let alone take a picture of it. Too gross.
Thanks again!
October 26th, 2009 on 5:35 am
Thanks for posting these!! I was just looking back at my mouth and noticed the white stuff on day 6 after wisdom tooth removal. I was like? WTH is that? Food? Infection? THANK YOU! I was getting nervous.
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November 5th, 2009 on 2:40 pm
Thank you so much! I just had 3 wisdom teeth extracted yesterday and was so worried as I’ve been seeing more and more white stuff as the day progressed. Thank God it’s normal. Everything online refers to dry socket, and I was getting SO nervous!
November 5th, 2009 on 11:55 pm
THANK YOU TYTYTYTYTYTY. Just had my first extraction and I was really worried about the white stuff. I’m glad to know it’s not an infection. Glad you’re doing well too.
November 11th, 2009 on 11:29 pm
Thank you – I had my first tooth pulled 24 hours ago and already starting with a white looking film…and was not sure if this was normal or not. Yours are the only pictures anywhere on the web I could find pictures! THANK YOU!!!
November 15th, 2009 on 5:34 pm
Amazing–I too ended up here in my search to see if the white film over my extraction site was normal, or what?! That occurrence should really be added to the aftercare literature. Thanks for showing us yours!
November 29th, 2009 on 5:18 am
Like others above, it’s very reassuring to know the white stuff isn’t anything to be worried about (as I have been). Thanks!
December 11th, 2009 on 12:51 am
I was soo scared that I was getting dry socket because I had no clue what the heck was the white stuff over my gum but thanks for posting your blog it put my mind at ease!!
December 30th, 2009 on 11:55 pm
thanks for putting this up i was getting worried cuz i thought mines looked weird as well but now that i see uez i see that mines is healing well as well
January 4th, 2010 on 10:53 pm
Like many people before me have said, thank you for the photos!
I was just on google trying to find pictures of what an extraction site should heal like; I had 3 wisdom teeth removed a couple days ago, and like everyone else I sure did freak out when I saw this mysterious white stuff.
I’m glad it does not necessarily mean something bad, and is not dry socket (phew). so thank you for sharing your experience and photos with the rest of us, they were definetly a help.
January 5th, 2010 on 7:00 pm
Like everyone else, just wanted to say thank you. Had two teeth extracted in the past 3 weeks. First went fine, but had to go to the dentist yesterday morning for a treatment for dry socket on the second. Was feeling a little better today, went to check on it, and saw white stuff filling the gap. I’m so glad you posted this – maybe that means I’m back on track and healing normally now! Thank you for sharing your pictures!
(Now if only I had more vicodin…)
January 25th, 2010 on 1:52 am
Thanks so much for the pics! I had an extraction 4 days ago and was really freaking about that white crap! Thought it was first signs of infection or dry socket or something! I lost half of my white stuff today but still have half of it hanging on there. You’d think as stressful as an extraction is on people, dentists would try to prepare you for what to expect! I SEARCHED the web every which way and could find no reference to this white crap on my gum until I found you!
February 3rd, 2010 on 10:39 pm
had extraction bone graft. graft got infected. have drainage tube now what an ordeal i am going through god bless thank you.
February 10th, 2010 on 4:28 pm
thanks so much for putting your pictorial up, I had a molar removed monday and have the white jelly stuff over my extraction, I have been freaking since i noticed it earlier….i was thinking omg do i have an infection or a dry socket ahhh! I feel better now knowing it happens as part of the healing process. god bless you!
February 12th, 2010 on 2:50 am
aha! an explanation for the white stuff that i just saw after buying a mirror to check my extraction site from last week. just like everyone else, i got really nervous and ran to my computer to find some answers. yay for you posting this! i can sleep in peace now. thanks much!
February 19th, 2010 on 5:28 am
Another Thanks for the info on this. I’m relieved that this is normal, I’ve been dealing with the ‘white stuff’ for days, searching all over the internet as to what it could be. It’s been a week and tonight while rinsing my mouth out after dinner I noticed that parts of it are coming off, after freaking out for a few hours I found this. Thank you poster and everyone else that’s replied with helpful information.
March 5th, 2010 on 12:29 pm
Ditto on all the other comments. Had #31 extracted wednesday along with a bone graft. Creaping out at the clumpy jelly stuff and looked at medical sites which don’t provide a whole lot of info on the healing process…glad to know I’m not alone. As crazy as it may seem, I appreciate your journaling process. Thank you.
March 5th, 2010 on 10:27 pm
[...] did find one brave soul who posted daily shots of the healing process at her tooth extraction site. Sheila at Ma Vie Folle put my mind at ease. That white film? Apparently it’s normal, and the Atlanta Dental [...]
March 10th, 2010 on 10:22 pm
Thank you for your pictures and information, I just had my first tooth removed and had questions about how it was suppose to look after and what the white stuff is thats forming on it and I have to stay your info cleared up my worries, thanks again!!
March 12th, 2010 on 8:34 am
WHITE STUFF: Now I am not an expert in dentestry; however, I have had the unfortunate experience of having many unsavable teeth extracted. Including all four, very painful wisdom teeth. Furthermore, I am considered to be one of those annoying/ difficult patients that ask what is considered to be a lot of ‘unnecessary’ questions concerning my medical/ dental health.
The creepy white stuff that you are referring to is simply the blood clot, which takes on a white appearance after the saliva has leached out the red blood cells. The smell is the natural consequence of organic clot material fermenting in a warm, moist environment, which favours putrefaction. This is likewise normal. Please be assured that you did not swallow it in your sleep. The white stuff merely fades as part of the natural healing process.
Personally, whenever I get excessive swelling/ pain with any tooth extraction, I always follow-up with a course of antibiotics, and after about day 2 rinse a couple of times a day with warm [tap water warm] salt water about 2-4 times a day. The salt water will help the healing process, and sometimes it even alleviates the pain.
After the day of the extraction your pain/ discomfort should gradually subside. If it does not, or it gets worse, then you may have an infection, or a dry socket. It is best to consult your dentist/ doctor immediately, if that happens.
FURTHER INFO FOR SMOKERS: Smokers should wait 1-2 weeks after an extraction to resume smoking. As an ex-smoker, I realise that this can be a difficult task, so even if you can hold off for a week it will help the healing process.
I hope this information is useful, and it will help to alleviate some of the fears people experience when seeing the creepy white stuff.
March 16th, 2010 on 3:37 pm
I too was sort of freaking out about this mysterious white stuff, so thanks for the pics! I’ve been searching all over for pictures of what a healing extraction site should look like. The first time the white stuff appeared I was like “No problem, must be scar tissue/healing” but today it looks extra weird. I possibly have one of my stitches waving about because there’s a long white string flapping all over the place but these pics let me sigh in relief!
March 16th, 2010 on 3:43 pm
Oop! I’d also like to add that I was also one with infection(it made a come back while still on antibiotics) and they gave me too much Novocain because of it so I had to walk out with a patch on my eye(my eye was numb and wouldn’t fully close) and molar intact. The next time it was less numbing upwards and more sideways; I had taken antibiotics for the infection and didn’t feel a thing! The dentist had to tug hard from all directions but no pain. I took one regular ibuprofen as prevention about a day later and that was all.
May 16th, 2010 on 9:25 pm
Thank you so much for posting these pics!! I got my wisdom teeth out 5 days ago and some weird white stuff came out of my socket when I was rinsing it with the syringe, there’s more inside too. I’m so relieved to know that it’s just a normal part of healing. ^_^
May 18th, 2010 on 8:15 pm
Thank you ~ I’m with the others….about 30 hours post extraction, I have the weird goo, although mine seems to be slightly excessive compared to yours… no pain or anything. I looked and looked for what a normal socket should look like…yours is the only one I’ve found! Again, thanks!
May 29th, 2010 on 4:10 am
I have scoured the internet for anything on this whitish or yellowish gunk on the gums of my extraction site. I’ve found a few mentions from people curious like me, but nothing from a doctor or professional site. Also this is the only picture I’ve found of it. I’m on day 11 of a 2nd and 3rd molar extraction. So far I’ve had no complications and little pain. I lucked out. However, I can easily clean of the ‘gunk’, but I’m not sure if I’m supposed to. Maybe it is part of the healing process? With all of the stuff on the internet, I’m surprised how little I’ve found on the subject.
May 31st, 2010 on 10:15 am
The “gunk” is the clotting tissue. From drinking liquids and rinsing you wash away the red blood cells leaving just the fibrin material that makes up the clot. It’s completely fine and normal.
July 13th, 2010 on 6:54 pm
Once again, as others have said, thanks for the pictures! I too wasn’t sure about the “white stuff.” I suspected that it was probably the clot, but since my first solid meal had been scrambled eggs, the more paranoid parts of my mind were afraid I might have gotten something stuck up there.
July 26th, 2010 on 1:23 pm
Me too! Also suffering from the white stuff and quite a lot of pain still (72 hours later – normal?). There is so much info about dry socket but little about healing, so this was great to find! Thanks from England!
July 30th, 2010 on 8:54 am
Thank you.. Just like everyone else, I was concerned about the mysterious “White Stuff”. Now I feel so much better reading everyone else’s comments and your pictures. Thanks!!!
August 2nd, 2010 on 4:35 am
OMG! I just had a tooth extraction 6 days ago and it is sooooo annoying. Is it normal to have yellowy/white gum where the extration was? I’m freaking out
August 2nd, 2010 on 4:49 am
Hello! Thank you ever so much for the information. I had a tooth extration about 6 days ago and I thought I had dry socket or a complication with my gum. I have to re-visit my dentist on Wednesday, and I was so worried that I had dry socket or something scary. This having been my first tooth extration, I didn’t know what to expected. The pictures and information were a real helper and helped me understand what the ”White stuff” was. Other websites on the internet all indicate that it was most proberly a complication. Once again I can now smile and stop worrying. YAY! Thank you once again
August 14th, 2010 on 12:38 am
Thank you so much!! I have so much white gunk at my extraction site it literally looks like i still have a tooth there (and I am NOT being dramatic)!!. I was really worried about it since I am wearing a flipper. Glad I stumbled upon your site an the pictures are great too..
August 16th, 2010 on 2:50 pm
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Is it innapropriate to say “I LOVE YOU!!!”?? Lol. Weirdly enough…you and your blog were the only thing I found on the freakin’ internet that put my mind at ease. Just like all the other millions of comments, I too was SO WORRIED! Thank you so much for documenting and posting all of your healing process. MUCH appreciated. =-) (As you can probably tell from ALL the comments of “thank you’s” from all,lol).
Now maybe I can save some money by canceling that dentist apt I made while I was in the middle of a TOTAL PANIC!! Lol. (** Was kinda scared sh*tless of that dang “DRY SOCKET”! dun dun dun **)Lol. THANKS AGAIN!~ MWAH!
August 20th, 2010 on 12:12 am
I’m on day two of my second ever extraction but the first time I knew nothing about dry socket and kept the initial dressing on the hole for about a week before I had the nerve to look at it.
This second time I’d had several years to load up on internet horror stories and by the time the dentist was issuing dire warnings about dry socket I was getting totally paranoid.
So on day one I have a nice bright red clot, but by day two it’s all gone murky white.
If it hadn’t been for this article I’d probably be on the phone to the dentist this morning.
Thank you so much!
August 20th, 2010 on 6:12 am
Thank you so much for you blog, and pictures. I like many others searched all over the internet about this white stuff, i was so scared because this was my first tooth extraction. Now i know mine is healing just fine. thank you so much you put my mind at ease..
August 27th, 2010 on 2:38 am
wow i had an extraction bout 3 weeks ago the white stuff i thought it was food so i kept picking at it now i will just leave it and let it grow
August 27th, 2010 on 2:39 am
please email me and let me know if i did wrong for picking at it because i still have a whole there empty