Symptoms & Care of Wisdom Tooth
Wisdom teeth are named so because they erupt when you are adulting and becoming wiser (I hope so, hahaha). They are the back teeth of the mouth and are expected to appear between the ages of 17 and 25. These extra molars aren’t an issue themselves, but they might initiate a problem if there is no room in the jaw to accommodate them.
Studies show that 53% of the population has at least one wisdom tooth present (erupting or unerupted). A large number of people do not develop these third molars at all. If you aren’t one of them, then wisdom tooth care becomes mandatory.
Dental care in Dundas is very comprehensive. We monitor the wisdom tooth status of all our patients periodically. On any occasion of concern, the patient is informed of the wisdom tooth removal as soon as possible.
Symptoms of Wisdom Tooth Eruption
There are a few obvious indications and symptoms that indicate your wisdom teeth are coming out. They are:
The jaws hurt. The pain is usually mild with spurts of sharp shooting pain radiating from the area underneath the ears forward.
Gum swelling that typically occurs behind your second molars.
Sore gums in that region.
Occasional bleeding from gums around the molars.
Reduced opening of the mouth.
Mild fever and headaches.
You have to be vigilant about the status of your erupting wisdom teeth.
Things that you can do at home to keep the symptoms at bay:
Brush well to keep the area squeaky clean. The space between the upper and lower wisdom teeth is quite small, therefore a toothbrush with a large head (like in many electric toothbrushes) won't fit. By using a toothbrush with a small head, you can move around the third molars properly.
Antibacterial mouthwashes help: the deeper areas of the gums with impinged food are well cleansed with these mouth rinses.
Lukewarm saline rinses soothe the gums and ease the pain.
Soft cold food is more gentle for an erupting tooth.
OTC paracetamol and NSAIDS could ease the pain, mild headache, and fever.
Extreme difficulty in opening the mouth.
Throbbing headache, earache, and fever.
Tooth sensitivity to hot/sweet/cold.
Significant gum bleeding.
Chewing food is unimaginably difficult.
Things you need to know about an impacted wisdom tooth
Wisdom teeth frequently become impacted because the jaw doesn’t have enough space to let them erupt; the molar finally erupts at an incorrect angle and contacts the tooth in front of it. Either they are completely caught in the bone or partially peeping through the gums.
Although some individuals never experience any issues, impacted wisdom teeth might be problematic. Sometimes, food, plaque, and other debris can become trapped in the soft tissue around an impacted wisdom tooth, causing swelling, gum discomfort, cavities, and poor breath.
The course of action in case you doubt an impacted wisdom tooth is:
Visit the dentist in Dundas, and avail a dental checkup.
The dentist advises an X-ray, preferably an OPG (a full mouth X-ray).
Impacted wisdom can be tilted, vertically stuck in the bone, or completely horizontally positioned (will be clearly visible in the x-ray).
The wisdom tooth may have a red inflamed gum flap over it which can be painful and sore.
The dentist advises you on the correct line of treatment to cure the pain.
Usually, you will be advised either a wisdom tooth removal or resection of the gum flap over it.
The dentist schedules an appointment for the same and prescribes the necessary medication.
The removal of disease-free, asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth is not strongly supported by research. But when a wisdom tooth is troubling, dental care in Dundas attends to emergencies as well. Wisdom tooth pain can become recurrent if not treated. So a regular dental checkup can help you detect the problem early. Schedule an appointment with our dental experts for wisdom teeth removal and get rid of the unwanted pain.