Wisdom Teeth – Pain & Removal Options
Oral pain can be extremely uncomfortable, as well as unhealthy. Some common causes of oral pain may be tooth decay, an abscess or a fracture, a damaged or cracked filling, gum infection, grinding teeth at night, or wisdom teeth. Regardless of what the reason may be, you should see, your dentist immediately. If your wisdom teeth are still intact, you may question if they are the source of your pain and discomfort.
Wisdom teeth are located in the back of your mouth, directly behind your molars. They consist of a set, two on top, and a set of two on the bottom. It’s not at all uncommon for wisdom teeth to grow in crooked, sideways, or simply misaligned. As they begin to, grow they may push on other teeth and create overcrowding, thus resulting in misalignment from them as well.
When wisdom teeth come in, they can be quite painful. As they start to poke through your gums, you may notice red and inflamed gums, and experience pain in the back of your mouth. Ironically, some people experience no pain when wisdom teeth come in, and may have no visible signs. It’s important to notice changes in your mouth and see a dentist when necessary.
Dentists often recommend wisdom teeth be removed before pain and discomfort become a problem. Wisdom teeth can affect your ability to chew food, and may make your entire mouth very sensitive. On occasion wisdom teeth pain may be a result of impacted wisdom teeth. This happens when wisdom teeth are not able to emerge past the jaw bone or other teeth. When this occurs, you face a risk of complications such as surgery, and it may damage bones or other teeth permanently. The longer the problem persists the greater risk you may develop an infection, as bacteria can enter the open areas in the gums.
Other indications that your wisdom teeth may be impacted include jaw pain and tenderness, redness and swelling of gums are ounce the tooth and bad breath. You may also notice a bad taste when you chew food or bite down. Impacted wisdom teeth can put you at risk for cysts, which are fluid pockets the form around the tooth. Very rarely tumors form around the tooth as well. This can also result in permanent damage to your jaw bone.
Pain resulting from wisdom teeth is not always an indication they are impacted, however you should see your dentist right away, as the likelihood of becoming impacted is there.
Should you experience wisdom teeth pain, make an appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon right away. The doctor will be able to distinguish if your pain is actually from wisdom teeth. The more common solution is removal of the wisdom teeth.
Oral hygiene can affect your overall health, so be sure to take proper steps to ensure your mouth, teeth and gums are healthy. Regular dental checkups are the first step to ensure overall dental health and may save you from discomfort later. If you experience mouth pain, don’t delay, call your dentist right away.
Reference: wisdomtoothpain.org