Title Prevention of Dry Socket After Tooth Extraction With Warm Saline Rinses
Clinical Question Is warm saline rinse beneficial in preventing alveolar osteitis after dental extraction?
Clinical Bottom Line Warm saline mouth rinses 24 hours after dental extraction is helpful in reducing the occurrence of alveolar osteitis.
Best Evidence  
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
25807670Osunde/2015160 patients requiring non-surgical extractions were divided into two groups: 1) 80 in the study group were told to rinse 6 times a day with warm saline rinse: 2) 80 in the control group did not rinse with warm saline rinse.Randomized Controlled Trial
Key results The risk of alveolar osteitis was four times greater in the control group compared to the study group.
25909940Stewart/2015 120 patients in need of non-surgical extractions were divided into three groups: 1) 40 rinsed with warm saline rinse, 6 times a day: 2) 40 rinsed twice a day: 3) 40 in the control group did not rinse with warm saline rinse.Randomized Controlled Trial
Key resultsAuthors conclude at after 72 hours postoperative evaluation, the control group reported 25% development of alveolar osteitis compared to the study group which reported 2.5%.
Evidence Search Therapy/Broad[filter] AND (("dry socket"[MeSH Terms]
Comments on
The Evidence
Extraction is a routine dental procedure. Warm saline rinse is a common post-operative instruction given to the patient to be followed 24 hours after extraction. These two studies look into the efficacy of saline rinses after non-surgical dental extraction. Both studies were randomized clinical trials. Warm saline rinsing was to start 24 hours after the dental extraction and patients were reviewed at 72 hours for post extraction complication.
Applicability Rinsing with warm salt water after 24 hours is helpful in preventing post extraction complication such as alveolar osteitis. Warm saline rinsing twice a day is easy to follow by the patient and is a low cost rinse. It appears that rinsing two times a day is as beneficial as rinsing six times a day in the prevention of alveolar osteitis.
Specialty (General Dentistry) (Oral Surgery)
Keywords Dental extraction complications, Dry socket, alveolar osteitis, warm saline rinse
ID# 2996
Date of submission 03/06/2016
E-mail tofauzia@gmail.com
Author Fauzia Dadarkar
Co-author(s)
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor Mary Norma Partida, DDS, MPH
Faculty mentor e-mail partidam@uthscsa.edu
   
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
None available
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Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
None available