I've had two teeth extracted recently- back top molar (6/2/10) and back bottom molar (6/7/10). I have, for the most part, resumed my usual diet, sans crunchy foods. I have two questions:

1) I am doing my absolute best to keep the sockets clean/void of any food. Regardless of what side I chew on, though, the food seems to always find it's way into the hole. I have been using the hose attachment on my kitchen sink to spray out whatever gets in there, and it comes out very easily. I just want to make sure that this will do no damage. From what I understand, I'm pretty much in the clear for dry socket- but I want to make sure the pressure from the water is not too much.

Also, do I need to get the food out immediately? I've been stopping mid-meal to clear it out. And then finishing up and cleaning it again. I ask this because I will be visiting family, and would like to be able to finish a meal w/o stopping to clean out my tooth-hole. :D And maybe sit around and talk for a bit after eating? How long is too long to leave it in there?

2) When can I resume eating crunchy foods? (I'm craving tortilla chips!) Do I need to wait for the hole to completely close? If so, how long does that typically take?

Thanks for your help!

You should wait for the holes to close more before eating anything too crunchy. As for rinsing the holes while eating, you should be fine to flush them out as part of your normal brushing routine unless you find them bothering you.

Great- thanks!

Is the method I've been using to flush them out OK? (Hose from kitchen sink) Or is that too much pressure? Feels fine to me, but I don't want to mess anything up.

As long as you aren't directing the waterflow right in to the socket you should be fine and don't turn the water on full blast.