Wisdom teeth – or third molars – are the last teeth to grow in your mouth, usually growing in the back of your mouth at any age from your late teens well into your twenties.
Often wisdom teeth can grow in your gums without any fuss whatsoever, but there are also a number of complications that can arise too – making wisdom tooth removal one of the most common dental procedures in Australia. We have compiled a list of things to eat after wisdom tooth removal to help you get off on the right foot.
Thankfully, no matter what kind of sensitivity, pain and discomfort you may be feeling, our team are on hand and experienced in all matters when it comes to wisdom teeth. The team at Toorak Dental Studio are here to take care of you and your smile.
But what are the symptoms that might require a wisdom tooth extraction procedure? We’re going to talk you through what to look out for when you notice your wisdom teeth are growing through – and how to recognise when they are.
Sensitivity and pain in the back of the mouth
The first and quite possibly most obvious thing to be aware of when it comes to wisdom tooth eruption is the sensitivity you’re likely to experience at the back of your mouth near the affected area.
It’s very common for people to experience sensitivity in the area where your wisdom tooth erupts – just think of how much children cry when their teeth are growing for the first time! Wisdom teeth are the biggest and last teeth to come through your gums and erupt from the jaw before breaking through your gums, so some pain is of course, to be expected.
Extraction could be the way to go if the sensitivity is extreme, although, for many people, wisdom teeth can grow without any further complications and align well with the rest of your teeth. Ensure you look after your teeth as well as you can and treat your sensitivity with caution – painkillers and ice to the affected area may help, but seek out dental assistance should the problems persist.
Inflammation around the gums
The next symptom to watch out for is the possibility of inflammation around the gums. As your wisdom tooth is growing through, there’s the possibility of it becoming either partially or fully impacted, which means it is not entirely protruding from your gums. If the gum restricts the eruption of your wisdom tooth, it may cause further inflammation when the tooth is trying to emerge.
If your gum inflammation becomes extremely uncomfortable and persists over a longer period of time, it may be another sign that you need your wisdom tooth extracted. During the extraction procedure, our skilled dentists may need to make a small incision in the gum near your wisdom tooth in order to free up the space for it to be removed, which can make the inflammation worse in the short term.
Looking after what you eat could help your gum inflammation, as well as drinking enough water and using painkillers where necessary – but if the problem continues, contact your dentist to discuss whether an extraction is needed.
Cysts develop in your mouth
One rather common symptom concerning wisdom teeth is the development of cysts inside your mouth – particularly around the affected area. While these can be easily treated by your dentist, they should not be left untreated as they could cause severe discomfort and further issues in your mouth.
It is worth noting, also, that if your jaw isn’t large enough to accommodate the tooth, there may be a greater risk of developing cysts or benign tumours in the affected area. The cyst can develop from the tissue surrounding the tooth before erupting, causing significant pain and discomfort.
Contacting your dentist if you suspect a cyst or benign tumour is an absolute must – but that’s not just before your extraction.
Cysts can sometimes grow in the open wound following a wisdom tooth extraction, too, and can sometimes occur even if the best aftercare treatment has been undertaken. That said, poor aftercare could indeed increase the possibility of a cyst developing in your mouth. These can be very sore and will not go away by themselves – so it’s important to check in with our team if you experience any potential cysts.
Stiffness & pain in the jaw
Another very common symptom many people encounter with emerging wisdom teeth is stiffness and pain in your jaw. Your wisdom teeth erupt from your jaw before emerging in your gums, and problems may occur if your jaw isn’t large enough to accommodate the wisdom tooth growing through.
There is also the fact that sometimes with an impacted wisdom tooth, pieces of bone block the tooth, which would need to be removed as part of your tooth extraction procedure. While this doesn’t particularly cause more pain or discomfort during the procedure, it can lead to longer recovery times and experiences of stiffness in the days and weeks following your surgery.
Because of such a large tooth growing from within your jaw and in your mouth, the sensitive area surrounding the tooth can feel rigid and cause pain for many people. If the stiffness and pain are too severe, removal could be the only way to alleviate it.
Sinus problems
Sinus problems are more common to experience if your upper wisdom teeth are growing through, which is the maxillary wisdom teeth. This is because these teeth are directly linked to your sinus cavity, and thus you may experience discomfort, sensitivity and even sinus infection.
Infections have the capacity to spread from your mouth to the sinuses in a number of ways. For some, it may be that your cavity extends to the centre of your tooth, meaning it travels all the way to the root through the tissue in your tooth. Others may experience sinus infection from an abscess located at the base of your growing tooth, which can spread if it’s in the right (or wrong) location.
If you feel any pressure in one side of your face or cheek, have a bad odour in your nose or have noticed any yellow discharge, it’s worth checking out in case you have an infection – and extraction could help quite significantly to reduce your sinus pain.
Bad breath & bad taste in the mouth
Bad breath is never good, and can result in simply bad oral health – but sometimes it can be a symptom of your wisdom tooth needing extracting. It’s another quite common thing to be aware of if you’re experiencing your wisdom tooth erupting.
Bad breath could be caused by a number of things when it comes to wisdom teeth. First of all, it could be caused by any bleeding around the affected area, which can be a sign of infection or other complications that would necessitate an extraction.
An easy remedy for this is to drink more water as it will help clean the wound and help wash away any blood – but if bleeding continues, get in touch with your dentist and check it out.
Bad breath can also occur after your removal procedure, as it could occur if you have a dry socket rather than a regular blood clot. People who smoke, spit, rinse their mouth or drink through a straw following surgery may be at a higher risk of getting a dry socket.
Poor oral hygiene and mouth infections could also be the root cause of bad breath, so ensure you keep up with your hygiene and seek the support of our dentists if you experience any issues.
Cavities & tooth decay
Cavities can occur in any tooth, with the usual course of action to fill in the hole in the tooth in order to prevent any further issues or tooth decay. However, when it comes to wisdom teeth cavities can cause more complications and may well require extraction to prevent further problems.
Cavities are holes that appear on the surface of teeth and can grow deeper into the centre of your tooth and sometimes appear as something as small as a black dot. Untreated cavities can even result in tooth decay, which can badly affect your teeth and gums. Tooth decay in wisdom teeth can cause serious issues, particularly if your wisdom tooth is impacted.
There are occasions if your wisdom tooth has erupted in your mouth without any complications and in line with your other teeth that cavities can be filled in like any other tooth – but it’s always best to check with the experts in our team to help make your decision (and look after your teeth).
Teeth are not straight
The final symptom of potentially needing your wisdom tooth extracted is the crowding of your other teeth. A wisdom tooth eruption could cause some of your other teeth to push together due to the force of the new tooth growing through, which can be painful and cause your teeth to ‘crowd’ or go slightly crooked.
In these instances, removing the troubling wisdom tooth can allow your teeth the original room they had in your mouth to be straight – meaning that your smile is as perfect as ever.
As always, it’s best to consult an expert dentist in order to get the best treatment to protect your teeth (and smile) in the best way possible.