If you use the following words in a Google search: bad breath after tooth pulled, you will quickly discover that your search doesn't result in a lot of sites about halitosis. It results in a lot of dentistry sites. This might seem self evident - after all, you've just had a tooth extracted. On the other hand, bad breath is such a common problem that many many people have it without going through dental procedures. Halitosis following dental extraction, however, is a sign of a particular problem and you should pay attention to it.

Changing your search a little bit, to bad breath after wisdom tooth pulled, will yield similar results - this is actually a more exact search than bad breath after tooth pulled, because in the majority of cases, the tooth that was extracted was a wisdom tooth, and the problem lies with the unhealed tooth socket in the back of the mouth. The problem is known as dry socket.

A dry socket occurs when there is no blood clot in the hole that the tooth came out of. A blood clot may never have formed there, or it may have fallen out for some reason. The bad breath after tooth extraction comes along with moderate to severe pain that may feel more like a bad earache than a tooth ache. Regardless of the cause or how bad it feels, Googling bad breath after wisdom tooth pulled isn't going to help you: call your dentist or dental surgeon and let them know you need to be seen right away.

The dentist knows all about dry sockets and bad breath after tooth extraction, and he or she can make you more comfortable and help the socket to heal. Follow the instructions you are given carefully - these usually include instructions not to smoke or suck on straws, chew crunchy foods, or brush vigorously in the extraction area. Most dentists, however, advise you on how to keep your mouth clean and fresh while it heals. If you don't keep you mouth clean, you will have bad breath after tooth extraction for other reasons!

When you've had some medical attention, and your mouth is feeling better, feel free to sit down and Google bad breath after tooth pulled. You will be able to read all about it on numerous dental sites, and you may even be able to add the story of your ordeal to a forum on dental problems - or a forum on bad breath.