Wisdom teeth pain

							Wisdom Teeth Pain and Other
Symptoms
  A quick guide to what to expect with erupting
  and/or impacted wisdom teeth.


Wisdom Teeth Pain and Other
Wisdom Teeth Symptoms -
DentalCareMatters
Our guide to wisdom teeth pain begins here with a quick guide
on why they can cause problems and what sort of symptoms
they can cause.



“Why do we Get Wisdom Teeth
Pain?”
                                                                  Graphic showing the cause of wisdom teeth pain, i.e.
Wisdom teeth pain caused by ‘impaction’ is a common
                                                                  pericoronitis
problem. They are the last teeth to erupt into the mouth.
 There are usually four, one in each corner of the mouth at the   When there is enough room for the wisdom teeth, they will
back. They most commonly appear between the ages of 17 and        come through into the mouth normally and act as any other
24, but can also erupt much later.                                tooth. There may be some problems including pain as they
                                                                  erupt, but this will clear up once the tooth finds its final
Wisdom teeth symptoms are common as they are the last to
                                                                  position.
enter the mouth, there is often not enough space for them to
fully come through. Therefore they may only partially erupt       Wisdom teeth pain and symptoms can arise when there is
into the mouth or not come through at all.                        not sufficient room in the mouth. The tooth may become
                                                                  impacted.


                                                                  What is an Impacted Wisdom Tooth?
                                                                  A wisdom tooth is described as impacted if it is blocked from
                                                                  erupting into the mouth fully. Thus it will lie at an angle
                                                                  instead of being upright, tipped against the tooth in front of it.
                                                                  Technically, any tooth can become impacted but it is wisdom
                                                                  teeth that are the most often affected, owing to their late
                                                                  eruption.




                                                                                                                                  1
Impacted teeth can cause a range of problems, but it should   Such symptoms may indicate a severe infection which can be
also be noted that they may cause no problems at all.         very serious if left untreated. Immediate advice should be
                                                              sought from your dentist.


                                                              The cause of these problems is that when a wisdom tooth is
Wisdom Teeth Pain:                           “        What    impacted, a flap of gum will lie over it. As it is difficult to
Problems Might I Get?”                                        clean effectively under the gum flap, bacteria will proliferate
                                                              here and the gum will become inflamed. This inflammation is
                                                              known as ‘pericoronitis’.
                                                              Pericoronitis is usually relatively easy to treat. It is when
                                                              it becomes a recurring problem that extraction must be
                                                              considered.


                                                              An impacted tooth can also be present in the mouth without
                                                              you even knowing about it, because it may not be causing any
                                                              symptoms. However other problems can also be associated
                                                              with impacted wisdom teeth:

                                                                 • They are prone to decay. This is because food can trap
                                                                   around them and they are difficult to clean. The tooth
                                                                   lying beside will also be at increased risk of decay for the
                                                                   same reason.

When a wisdom tooth is problematic symptoms may include:         • Likewise, the area is more prone to gum disease for the
                                                                   same reason: it is difficult to clean.
   • Pain and swelling of the gum overlying the impaction.       • Rarely, cysts and other such growths may form around
   • Bad breath.                                                   an impacted tooth.
   • A bad taste in the mouth.                                Therefore even when they aren’t causing pain, or other
   • Pus coming out from the swollen gum area.                noticeable symptoms, they should be checked regularly.
   • Pain when you open your mouth.
   • Difficulty on opening your mouth.                        Prevention of Wisdom Teeth Pain
   • Pain when chewing or biting as this hurts the swollen    The cleaner the area and your mouth in general is kept, the less
     gum area.                                                likely that pericoronitis and other problems will occur.
   • Pain/ulcers on the cheek.                                Therefore general oral hygiene measures should be adhered to,
   • Ear-ache.                                                including flossing in the area of the wisdom tooth and regular
                                                              use of mouthwashes. Your dentist can guide you on this.
The problems can occur for a few days and then clear up. It
can then come back at any time, often with weeks or months
between occurrences.                                          Next: Advice on Wisdom teeth pain relief. Or jump to
                                                              what to expect if you are wisdom teeth removal.

More serious symptoms can develop:

   • Swollen glands under the chin (‘lymph nodes’).
   • Swelling of the face and jaw.
   • Muscle spasms in the jaw.
   • Fever and general malaise.




                                                                                                                             2