Indeed, you can ignore some pain, but when it comes to wisdom tooth pain, it’s impossible. When to visit a doctor if you are suffering from a wisdom toothache? Generally, wisdom tooth pain is a lot because they are impacted, meaning they are not growing straight.
Generally, wisdom teeth grow out of kilter with other teeth. Therefore, the doctors instructed the patients to remove their teeth as soon as possible.
Fortunately, certain symptoms can tell you whether you should visit a dentist right now. In this article, we will outline when you should see a dentist and how to avoid unnecessary discomfort.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, generally erupt between the ages of 17 and 25. They are named in such a way because they come in much later than your other teeth. Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars located at the back of your mouth.
Most individuals have 4 wisdom teeth, two on the top and two on the lower. In the early days, our ancestors needed these teeth to chew raw roots and vegetables. But now the scenario has changed, so these teeth are not necessary in this modern age.
Sometimes, wisdom teeth come out properly, and they never cause pain. But, if these teeth get stucked into your gum, then it becomes impacted wisdom teeth and cause severe pain. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause infections, cavities, gum disease, and other oral problems.
Key Risks of Ignoring Wisdom Tooth Pain
- Infection: An impacted wisdom tooth sometimes leads to pericoronitis or abscesses, causing significant infection and swelling.
- Jaw damage and Cysts: Trapped wisdom teeth can develop cysts or tumours that damage the jawbone tissue and cause nerve damage.
- Chronic Pian: Chronic infection caused by untreated wisdom teeth can acuse onging pain and significantly affect overall health.
- Damage to Adjacent teeth: a misaligned wisdom tooth can push against the neighbouring second molar, causing cavities, decay, and damage.
Wisdom Tooth Pain: When to See a Dentist?
If you experience a severe toothache at the back of your mouth, then you should make an emergency appointment with a dentist.
You should not take wisdom tooth pain lightly, because it often symbolizes infection or damage to surrounding teeth.
Delaying treatment may lead to severe complications, including jawbone damage, cysts, and the removal of adjacent healthy teeth.
Here are some key indicators for an immediate dentist visit:
- Intense Wisdom Tooth Pain: Ongoing pain at the back side of your mouth is one of the first key indicators. The intense pain is a warning that your wisdom tooth is trapped under the gum. If the pain occurs more often during chewing, it may indicate that you need an emergency extraction. Are you thinking about painkillers? It can reduce the discomfort for a while, but it can not fix the issue in the long term.
- Red and Bleeding Gums: Some patients experience red and bleeding gums during brushing; it is a warning sign for an immediate dentist visit. These symbols may indicate a condition, pericoronitis. It is a tooth infection; you should not leave it untreated. Otherwise, bacteria can spread deeper into the bloodstream, turning into a serious health issue.
- Swelling Around the Jaw: Swelling around your jawline is often signs an infection or inflammation. Swelling can happen when any germs or bacteria get stuck inside the gum flap around a partially erupted wisdom tooth. If it is left untreated, it may form an abscess beneath the surface.
- Headaches or Ear Pains: Sometimes, wisdom tooth pain can turn conditions harsher. During the eruption of the tooth, the tooth pushes against nerves near the jaw joint, radiating pain upward. Thus, some patients experience earache and headache, and they should immediately make an appointment with a dentist.
How to Manage Wisdom Tooth Pain at Home?
Here are some home remedies for wisdom tooth pain relief:
- Warm Saltwater: Add half to one teaspoon of salt to warm water and then rinse the tooth for 30 seconds. It will kill bacteria and reduce infection and swelling around the tooth.
- Cloves and Clove Oil: Cloves are a common kitchen ingredient, so they may be available at your house. You can take a whole clove and put it inside your mouth where you are experiencing more irritation. You can also use some clove oil instead of a whole clove. Simply, you can put some oil onto a cotton ball and gently brush it on your irritated part.
- Peppermint Oil: You may know that menthol is present in peppermint, so it will provide a cooling effect on the gums. You can soak a cotton ball in peppermint oil and dab it around the gums. You can also rinse your mouth with peppermint tea once it’s cooled.
- Ice Packs: You can put an ice pack into a piece of cloth or a towel. Then hold this cloth against your cheek that is aching. Some patients even prefer switching between hot and cold packs alternatively.
Some other home remedies for wisdom tooth pain include:
- Menthol
- Aloevera
- Wheatgrass
- Lavender or tree tree oil
Treatment Options for Wisdom Tooth Pain at the Clinic
When the symptoms are severe, you should see a dentist as soon as possible. The treatment involves diagnosis through X-rays, and the dentist will provide some pain relief and antibiotics for immediate pain relief. If there is any infection present around your gum, the antibiotics will reduce the inflammation and infection as well.
In many cases, the best solution for severe wisdom tooth pain is extraction. A dentist or an oral surgeon will perform this task. The extraction procedure is of two types: simple extraction and surgical extraction.
If your teeth are completely erupted, then the dentist will go forward with a simple extraction procedure with a local anasthesia. But if the tooth is impacted, then the dentist will choose surgical extraction.
A surgical extraction is about making an incision in the gum to extract the tooth, and it involves local or general anesthesia.
Post-Extraction Care
- Rest: You must avoid strenuous activities for at least 36 hours after the surgery.
- Soft foods: You should avoid taking hot, spicy, and crunchy foods for at least 5 days following the surgery. Instead, stick to soft food consumption.
- Oral hygiene: You must follow the dentist’s instructions to maintain your oral hygiene, including skipping brushing in the surgical area and rinsing your mouth with lukewarm water.
Wrapping It Up
Wisdom tooth pain is very common, and ignoring it can cause detrimental effects on your mouth and overall health. So, if your wisdom toothache is severe, persistent, and infectious, don’t be late.
It’s the right time to seek dental care and visit a dentist. Seeing a dentist earlier can prevent complications, and you can achieve a healthy smile.
Don’t try anything new for your wisdom tooth pain without consulting your dentist. You should inform your dentist whether you are taking any other medications. Act smarter and achieve better long-term oral health.
