Wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that people get, anytime from 17 to early ’20s. Wisdom teeth may be healthy or unhealthy, healthy wisdom tooth causes no trouble while chewing food. Unhealthy wisdom teeth can cause problems, especially when the teeth are unable to come out of the gums and when it grows in the wrong position. The only appropriate time to visit the dentist is when your wisdom teeth cause pain and discomfort while chewing.
The basic way to determine whether or not the wisdom teeth are healthy is to stand in front of the mirror. This way, you will be able to notice the wisdom teeth poking through the gums. Even the particular area turns red and sensitive.
It is important to floss wisdom teeth on a timely basis. Regular dental visits must be done in order to monitor the developments of wisdom teeth, in order to avoid any complications.
Wisdom teeth problems are best rectified when the wisdom teeth are removed. The dentist only suggests for the removal when:
- It causes mouth pain and chewing problems.
- Nerves get damaged.
- Sinus is caused by wisdom teeth.
- Tissues around the concerned gum area can swell.
- Swollen gums can help the growth of bacteria.
- Even there is a formation of cyst which can damage the bone or roots.
Dentists may advise removing wisdom teeth to get rid of the problems. But the removal depends on age and health factors of a person. Surgical removal of wisdom teeth of a child is avoided.
How are the wisdom teeth problems diagnosed?
If you begin to observe any of the symptoms of wisdom teeth, then you must visit your dentist. Furthermore, the dentist may suggest you get an x-ray of your teeth, in order to determine any problem caused or which may have been caused owing to the wisdom teeth.
Symptoms of having a wisdom tooth
If your wisdom teeth come out in a proper manner, then there is no fear attached to it. If the tooth has cavity then it must be treated at once. Otherwise, the hole can deepen which in turn may be harmful.
If bacteria enter the hole, then your teeth might get infected, which if left untreated can spread the infection to the neighboring areas, that is the infection might lead to the growth of other health issues. There might even be a swelling around the infected tooth, thus causing piercing pain and/or even fever due to the pain.
If you are to notice the following signs and symptoms, then you must visit your dentist:
- Jaw feels stiff or there is a pain in or nearby areas of the impacted teeth.
- There is a pain and/ or irritation in the teeth and the nearby areas get affected, like cheek, tongue or top or bottom of your mouth.
- The impacted teeth are broken partway through the gum.
- Tooth decay or other related gum diseases.
Neglecting a broken wisdom tooth can also be the cause of an infected wisdom tooth. A broken tooth is also not easy to be cleaned, hence not allowing the cleanliness of food, plaque, and other debris to get cleaned. This, in turn, causes bacterial growth.
Due to the infected tooth, there can be swelling in the face and jaw area, accompanied by a foul odor coming from your mouth. You might not be able to even taste food properly. There is absolutely low sensation, thus causing the tooth to disable you from eating or chewing properly.
Treatment of wisdom teeth
If your wisdom teeth don’t require removal, then you can opt for a temporary solution, whereby the pain and swelling get reduced.
- Apply an ice pack on the concerned cheek for 10-15minutes
- Gently rinse your mouth with salty warm water every 2 hours.
- Consume a pain-relief tablet.
Other than the traditional methods of pain reduction, the dentist may ask you to undergo removal of the tooth. In this surgery, wisdom teeth are extracted. The surgery involves the opening of gum tissue and the removal of the impacted teeth. There are times, owing to the complexity of the teeth structure, that the concerned teeth are cut into small pieces. This enables the teeth to be removed easily.
The wisdom teeth removal is a chairside surgery, that is, you enter the surgery room and get discharged on the same day. Local anesthesia is all that you need for this surgery.
Post-surgery, all you got to keep in mind is to avoid certain activities. You must not smoke, do strenuous exercises, spit, or even drinking from a straw. Certain activities that you do post-surgery might cause some swelling, pain and/or bleeding from the operated area.
