Smoking is another risk factor of alveolar ostitis. This may be explained partially due to the vasoconstrictive effect of nicotine on small blood vessels.

Main cause of alveolar ostlitis is the loss of blood cloth in extraction socket. Dry socket usually develops between third and fifth day after extraction. Loss of the blood cloth leaves an empty socket where the alveolar bone is exposed to oral cavity. In a dry socket, healing is prolonged because tissue must grow from the surrounding gingival tissue, which takes more time than the usual organization of a blood clot. The first symptom of dry socket is dull, aching, throbbing pain in the area of the extraction socket, which can be from moderate to severe. The pain usually starts on the second to fourth day after the extraction. Other common symptoms are intraoral halitosis and bad taste in mouth.

Therapy of alveolar ostitis is based on the elimination of pain and infection. Infection of the socket following tooth extraction is different from dry socket, although in dry socket secondary infection may occur in addition. Infection can be easily eliminated with antibiotic therapy and inflammatory drugs. However, it is very important to discover the cause for occurrence of dry socket and fix it because it has high likelihood of relapse. In addition to antibiotic therapy, doctor will perform mechanical cleaning of contaminated wall of extraction socket. After removing pus doctor will wash extraction wound. Pain can be eliminated by use of analgesics and anesthetic lotions several times a day until the healing is complete.