According to DigoPaul, the alveoli, a term that can also be pronounced with the alveoli accentuation, are small cells, cells, cavities or holes. The most common use of the notion is in the field of anatomy and biology.
The pulmonary alveoli are the small terminal pits of the bronchioles. In them the gas exchange between the inhaled air and the blood develops. These alveoli resemble sacks, where the body manages to get the oxygen it needs to function.
Through the same opening, gases enter and leave the pulmonary alveoli. In an adult human being, the lung houses about 750 million alveoli.
On the other hand, the alveolus is called the cavity of the jaw where the teeth are inserted. These dental alveoli, which are separated through the bony interalveolar septa, are compartments that exist in the alveolar bone.
On the alveolar bone, the three dental alveolus regions appear: the first is formed by the so-called cortical plates, of great resistance. Then there is the spongy layer, which lines the plates. This spongy layer, in turn, surrounds the alveolar layer, which is the bone itself.
The cortical alveoli, on the other hand, are organelles of certain cells, which they support. They are located below the plasma membrane and are made up of vesicles.
The inflammation of the alveoli is known as alveolitis. This feature can affect the pulmonary alveoli (due to an allergy, for example) or the dental alveoli (due to an infection).
Dry socket: definition and treatment
A complication that occurs in an average of 4% of patients who undergo tooth extraction is known as dry socket. This disorder appears after the intervention, that is, in the postoperative period. In general, this problem occurs after the extraction of the wisdom teeth, since they are the most complicated to manipulate and this operation involves a greater degree of “violence”.
In the hollow that remains after the extraction of a dental piece, the alveolus, a blood clot usually forms, which has the main function of protecting this region of the gum; if it falls apart or fails to form, then the socket is exposed and increases its vulnerability to potential attacks by external agents, safe sources of inflammation and pain.
The symptoms of alveolitis are easy to detect, especially because they appear just after a surgical intervention in the mouth: from the first 24 hours, pain in the alveolus area begins, which usually improves momentarily and then sharply worsens.. In normal cases, the discomfort should not last more than 15 days.
There is a clear list of factors that increase the chances of alveolus inflammation, so it is important to know them to prevent it. Two issues that the patient cannot control are the difficulty of the intervention and the degree of the surgical trauma, since they depend on the characteristics of his mouth and also on the skill of the dentist. On the other hand, there are smoking and the use of oral contraceptives, which can be avoided.
When the pain in the alveolus extends too much and does not subside, then it is necessary to visit the dentist to apply the appropriate treatment, which usually begins with a rinse with serum to get rid of the residues. Pain relievers, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatories are very helpful in treating dry socket, as well as daily serum washes, whenever directed by your doctor.
