Headache and Jaw Pain 9 days after removal of Wisdom Teeth

Hi Alicia,

I'm also having the same problem. I am on my 8th day of recovery (I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed) and I have a lot of facial pain. I have some pain in my jaw and occasionally my ear, but most of my pain is in my temple - a relentless throbbing pain. Sometimes pain medication helps, but it's still just so uncomfortable and distracting I have a hard time doing daily activities and working. I've been to my oral surgeon twice since the surgery and all he says is "everything looks great and is healing well" but he kinda seems to ignore my concerns about facial pain and sends me on my way. I'm starting to wonder if I have a fractured jaw too like Michael. Are you doing any better? Have you been back to your dentist to express your concern? 

For anyone having all wisdom teeth removed at the same time, especially when they include multiple, impacted mandibulars, the risk of developing a dry socket is already 40% higher than your average patient. The facial pain along cheek bones, jaw lines, gum lines, other teeth, sinus area, etc. is not "normal" at any point following extractions. The worst of the pain is expected to be for the three day period immediately following extractions. Any throbbing facial pain beyond three days, especially at eight or nine days, is often associated with or due to having (a) dry socket(s). It hurts like nothing else and even prescribed narcotic pain medication does not help allieviate the pain. At this point you must call the dentist/oral surgeon who originally performed your extractions, as they are required to provide follow up care to their patients. If they can reasonably determine that a blood clot either did not form at all in any one of the sockets, or that a blood clot did form but was dislodged due to sucking (often from using a straw or smoking) or rinsing vigorously, they will place a medicated dressing inside of the socket that should provide somewhat of an instantaneous relief. However, if you're on a deserted island and reasonably unable to contact your oral health provider, oil of cloves is the main ingredient in Eugenol-the medication that's applied to the gauze dressing placed in sockets. Often providers will use an anti-microbial agent, an antiseptic such as Peridex, and Eugenol combined to ensure sanitary conditions of socket while offering pain relief. The dressing must be changed once every 24 hours, it should be packed loosely, leaving a large enough piece to grab ahold of hanging out of the socket, but not too large to where it's bothersome or it gets caught on anything inside of your mouth. 

Unfortunately, there are instances of various bone fractures happening during prolonged surgeries as well.  However, bone fractures aren't nearly as common as dry sockets. Due to the severity of pain experienced from the dry sockets, it's both normal and good to question if you do in fact have any bone fractures. This is why it's ultimately important to follow up with the provider who performed the extractions. They can accurately assess extraction site(S) for dry sockets and take x-rays to look for any fractures or breakage in bones. Many oral surgeons will perform a CT scan prior to extraction and at the follow up visit after extractions to ensure they removed all roots, etc.

I do hope this helps! Good luck!

Regardless of where and how you are experiencing pain, jaw or cheek throbbing, temple throbbing, ocular throbbing, once the CAUSE is treated via Eugenol or clove oil in the dry sockets, all pain will cease. If you use clove oil, it needs to be 0.02% strength solution and applied directly onto gauze before being packed into socket. Make sure it's enough, but not dripping as you don't want this to get anywhere else in yout mouth as it may burn and will not taste pleasant at all. This will work better than an IV loaded with morphine 🤤 because it's treating the source of the pain, not just the headache symptom.

Please share status and/or updates on current conditions.

That's weird they didn't give you antibiotics or pain killers straight after the surgery. 

They sent me home with painkillers and a course of anti biotics. 

The inside of my mouth healed without complication, no infection or dry socket etc. it was just the constant headaches, jaw and cheek pain that lasted around two months 😩

No they didn't give me no painkillers or antibiotics. Just one extraction pack. The pain is horrendous, and now when I drink it's a pain that's even worse, it lasts a few minutes and then gets easier. 

I'm going to go back to the dentist tomorrow as I'm really not coping! Even after the antibiotics it's just doesn't seem to be getting any better?! 

Thanks for your reply 

Bec x