Wisdom teeth are the four back molars found on each side of the mouth, both in the upper and lower arches. These are the last teeth that come out and usually grow in the late teens or early twenties. Their eruption through the gum is often asymptomatic, but sometimes the process can cause pain or tenderness - especially if there isn't enough space or if they grow at an incorrect angle. If you notice that you are about to tick, you need to see your dentist to make sure that no possible problems arise.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing Early Symptoms
Step 1. Symptoms do not always occur
If wisdom teeth protrude perfectly straight from the gum, have adequate space and are positioned correctly in relation to the others, they rarely cause pain or inflammation and do not need to be removed. They become a problem and are only felt when they don't fully grow, don't have enough space, grow crooked and / or become infected.
- Sometimes they only partially sprout. It can happen that they remain completely hidden between the gum and the bone or that they grow only partially.
- The associations of dental doctors recommend that people between 16 and 19 years of age get examined to analyze the situation of their wisdom teeth.
- The longer they stay in the mouth after age 18, the more roots grow, making it more difficult to extract if they become a dental health problem.
Step 2. Pay attention to pain in the gums or jaws
Wisdom teeth that grow normally can also cause some mild symptoms. Check for any pain, a feeling of pressure, or a throbbing, dull pain in the gums near the throat opening or in the jawbone area. When teeth emerge, they can irritate the sensitive tissues of the gums. The pain is greater if the wisdom teeth grow crooked and very close to each other, as they can cut through delicate gum tissue. The intensity of suffering is obviously subjective, it may be mild for some but intolerable for others; keep in mind that it is perfectly normal to experience some discomfort when wisdom teeth come out, so you should wait a while (at least a few days) before going to the dentist.
- Their growth is not constant, so you can experience pain for a few days every three to five months; as they grow, they alter the position of the other teeth in the bone and you may find that they begin to move.
- If wisdom teeth do not come out properly, they can become trapped or included, thus increasing the risk of infection (see below for more details).
- The pain may be more intense at night if you have a habit of clenching your jaw and / or grinding your molars.
- Chewing gum can also aggravate the pain caused by the growth of these teeth.
Step 3. Check for redness and swelling
This is another symptom of the gum tissue caused by the eruption of wisdom teeth. You may feel swollen gums with your tongue which, when inflamed, makes chewing more difficult and uncomfortable. Take a small flashlight and point it inside your mouth while checking yourself in the mirror. The wisdom teeth are the last ones, those found in the posterior area of both dental arches. Check the tip of the teeth (cusp or crown) that protrudes through the gum and check if the gum tissue is more red or swollen (in this case we are talking about gingivitis) than other areas; the swelling usually goes away after about a week.
- While checking your mouth, you may see some blood around the teeth that are sticking out or the saliva that is tinged with red. this is a rather unusual event, but not uncommon. Other reasons that can cause blood in the mouth are gum disease, canker sores or oral trauma.
- You may see a flap of gum above the emerging wisdom tooth, known as the pericoronal flap; it is a completely normal phenomenon and generally does not cause other problems.
- When the posterior gum tissue is swollen, it can be difficult to open the mouth; in this case, you may need to drink through a straw for a few days.
- You may also have difficulty swallowing; your dentist may prescribe some anti-inflammatory medications to take for a few days.
- The lower wisdom teeth are close to the tonsils, which can swell and convey a sensation similar to that of a cold or sore throat.
Part 2 of 3: Recognizing Late Symptoms
Step 1. Stay alert for possible infection
Wisdom teeth that grow only partially (also called inclusions) or that grow crooked can greatly increase the risk of infection; they can create small pockets or spaces under the pericoronal flap, where bacteria accumulate and thrive. Typical signs of an infected wisdom tooth are: significant gum swelling, severe pain, mild fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and jaw edge, pus around inflamed tissue, bad breath, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- The type of pain due to an infected wisdom tooth is usually dull and constant, associated with rare moments of sharp and tense pain.
- The pus has a whitish-gray color, due to the white blood cells produced by the immune system. These cells specialize in reaching the site of infection, kill bacteria, die and form pus.
- Bad breath can also be caused by spoiled food trapped under the pericoronal flap.
Step 2. Check if your front teeth are deformed
Even when wisdom teeth grow crooked and negatively affect the jawbone, they don't always cause pain or other obvious symptoms; however, over time (even just a few weeks) they often begin to put pressure on other teeth, pushing and misaligning them. Eventually, this "domino effect" can impact the front ones, visible when you smile, which suddenly become crooked or bunched up. If you are concerned that your front teeth are changing, compare your current smile to that of some old photograph.
- If your wisdom teeth are pushing others out of place excessively, your dentist may advise you to extract them.
- Once removed, the teeth that have moved can slowly realign and return to their natural position after a few weeks or months.
Step 3. It is not normal to experience chronic pain and swelling
While some temporary, tolerable pain or inflammation is completely common when wisdom teeth come out, chronic pain and swelling (for a long time) are not at all. Wisdom teeth that grow completely beyond the gum line typically do not cause pain or edema for more than a few weeks. Severe pain and inflammation lasting longer than this period are common when the teeth are included, ie they have remained in the gum bone; when they cause chronic and / or severe symptoms they must be removed.
- People who have small jaws and mouths are more likely to suffer from impacted wisdom teeth which cause severe pain and swelling.
- Although partially erupted wisdom teeth are not always a direct cause of symptoms, they can promote decay of other teeth or cause persistent pain in the surrounding gum tissue.
- The decision when to see the dentist depends on your pain tolerance and how patient you are. As a general rule, when pain prevents sleep (without medication) for more than three to five days, a follow-up visit should be made.
Part 3 of 3: Managing the Symptoms
Step 1. Massage the gums with your fingers or some ice
You can get some relief by doing a gentle massage with clean (disinfected) fingers, moving them back and forth, or in small circles over the sore gums. Be careful not to rub too aggressively, as this could alter or damage the pericoronal flap and cause more irritation, swelling and / or bleeding. If you can tolerate it, place an ice cube on it to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. The ice will leave you feeling terribly cold at first, but the gum tissues surrounding the wisdom tooth go numb within about five minutes. You can use ice three to five times a day or as needed when you need to relieve the pain.
- Make sure to trim your fingernails and wash your hands thoroughly with an alcohol wipe to avoid spreading bacteria on the gums. Wisdom tooth infection can worsen if you don't follow good hygiene practices.
- Ask your dentist if he can recommend an anesthetic cream or ointment to massage into inflamed gums.
- Applying a cold pack or sucking on some frozen treats (popsicle, sorbet, or ice cream) may help to soothe sore gums.
Step 2. Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories or pain relievers
Ibuprofen (Brufen, Moment) is an excellent anti-inflammatory that can combat pain symptoms and swelling of the wisdom tooth. Paracetamol (Tachipirina) is a good pain reliever and a very strong antipyretic, which means that it is able to fight fever, but it does not act on inflammation. The maximum daily dose of both drugs is around 3000 mg for adults, but always read the instructions on the leaflet.
- Taking too much ibuprofen or taking too long can irritate and damage the stomach and kidneys, so always take it with food.
- An overdose of acetaminophen is toxic and damages the liver; also be careful never to drink alcohol in conjunction with this medicine.
Step 3. Rinse with an antiseptic or antibacterial mouthwash
This allows you to treat or even prevent infections and pain in the teeth and gums. For example, mouthwashes that contain chlorhexidine can help relieve swelling, pain and prevent the risk of infections. Ask your dentist or pharmacist to recommend some products for free sale; whichever brand you choose, hold the mouthwash in your mouth for at least 30 seconds and try to distribute it over all surfaces, including the back, where your wisdom teeth are emerging.
- Rinsing around the pericoronal flap also helps remove trapped food, plaque, or other debris.
- You can make a natural and inexpensive antiseptic mouthwash by adding half a teaspoon of table or sea salt to 250ml of warm water; gargle for 30 seconds, then spit out the solution and repeat the treatment three to five times a day or as needed.
- Gargling with diluted vinegar, fresh lemon juice, diluted hydrogen peroxide, or a few drops of iodine tincture in water are effective techniques for fighting oral infections.
- Absinthe tea is also an excellent adjuvant that helps fight the gum inflammatory process.
Advice
- Keep in mind that wisdom teeth are not used for chewing food; the other molars and premolars are sufficient to physically break the food in the mouth.
- Recently erupted wisdom teeth can cause you to bite your cheek and / or tongue more frequently because your mouth tends to get crowded.
- Be aware that a constant headache could be related to the growth of wisdom teeth, as it can cause dental malocclusion, as well as cause pain in the jaw and skull.
- If your wisdom teeth are causing symptoms, get an x-ray at your dentist to see if they are severely impacted, pinched a nerve, or damage other teeth.
