"Women have a greater chance than men to develop dry socket," says Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) spokesperson Barbara A. Rich, DDS, FAGD. "But, for women who take oral contraceptives, their likelihood of developing a dry socket is twice as likely because of their increased estrogen level."

Women who take oral contraceptives are approximately 30 percent more likely to experience dry socket after molar extractions performed in the first 22 days of their menstrual cycle.