If you’re currently suffering from wisdom teeth pain, then you’ll know that it’s uncomfortable at best and utterly debilitating at worst. The good news is that you don’t have to put up with any such discomfort and in fact, there are several avenues that you can take to eradicate any discomfort caused by those pesky wisdom teeth.
So what exactly is a wisdom tooth and why do they cause so many problems?
Wisdom teeth are in essence your third molars, designed to erupt during late teens to early 20s (your wisdom years). Tens of thousands of years ago when our diet consisted of tough grains and meats, the third set of molars would have been essential to survival. Nowadays, however, our diets have changed and so too has our facial structure. This means that unfortunately, changes in skull and jaw shape means that we simply can’t accommodate them.
While in some fortunate people wisdom teeth cause no pain or discomfort whatsoever, many others have wisdom teeth which are partially impacted (causing infection), trying to erupt into an already crowded space (undermining other teeth), or not erupting at all (cyst development leading to bone damage). Either way, a humble wisdom tooth can be the source of a great deal of pain and discomfort.
Wisdom Teeth Pain – Home remedies
If you are experiencing discomfort in the mouth but aren’t entirely sure where it’s coming from, then it’s only natural to want to hold off a visit to the dentist. In this case, you might want to try a course of over-the-counter pain killers. They may, of course, allow you to get on with your day, but if it is a problem caused by a wisdom tooth or teeth, then it’s unlikely that the problem will simply vanish.
Another remedy may be to rinse with saltwater. You might find that the impending growth of your wisdom tooth is causing a slight infection. Warm salt water can help to eradicate the infection in some cases.
Finally, it could be that you’re experiencing the natural stages of wisdom teeth growth and any pain or discomfort felt may be simply down to your dental progression. If this is the case, then gently applying ice to the area whenever you feel discomfort, could well be enough.
Professional Help for Wisdom Teeth Pain
It isn’t uncommon for none of these remedies to work and therefore a visit to your local dentist should be considered – particularly if you have been in some sort of discomfort for a long time or any discomfort felt is gradually getting worse.
They have the skills and the technology to take a closer look to see exactly what is going on inside your mouth. Here is how an experienced dentist can help:
X-rays And Examination
The first thing any dentist will do after talking to you is to take a dental x-ray. Modern digital x-rays are clear and concise and can quickly determine the extent of any wisdom tooth problems. Based on their findings your dentist will develop a customized treatment plan to get you out of pain. This may involve…
Treating The Source Of Any Infection
As if wisdom teeth weren’t problematic enough, sometimes they can develop naturally, but still cause infection, especially at the point where the unwelcome tooth starts to break through the gum line. If this is the case, then your dentist might suggest a course of antibiotics to quash the infection. The idea being that as the infection goes down, so too does any wisdom teeth pain. Normally, this is followed up with further examinations in order to check on progress.
Minor Oral Surgery
In some cases, wisdom teeth may have insufficient room to grow and become partially erupted. When this happens some patients develop a tissue flap with sits over the partially erupted tooth. Otherwise known as the operculum, this can easily become infected. In a surgical procedure known as an operculectomy, the area is cleaned and flushed out to prevent further infection, and the flap of skin removed to enable the partially erupted wisdom tooth to grow naturally again. This may be sufficient to eradicate any further wisdom tooth pain.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Contrary to popular belief extractions of the wisdom teeth aren’t painful and in the vast majority of cases, removal has the opposite effect by getting you out of pain. Although it sounds daunting, in truth, it is a common procedure performed chair-side (in most cases). In fact, somewhere around 10 million extractions are carried out every single year.
Of course, no dentist chooses to extract teeth unless absolutely necessary but because wisdom teeth aren’t needed, they don’t affect the functional makeup of the jaw like other natural teeth would when removed. Therefore extraction remains a popular and reasonable option and one that alleviates any wisdom teeth pain pretty quickly.
Most people will recover from a simple extraction within a couple of days, but more complex impacted removals or the removal of multiple wisdom teeth may take longer.
Either way, patients can expect to recover normally with no issues. That means no more wisdom tooth pain.
If you believe that you have wisdom teeth pain then call one of our experienced teams at No Gaps Dental. As a multi-center dental group, we have convenient locations and highly skilled teams who practice the latest gentle dental techniques. Visit our website to make a booking at a location of your choice or you can call us at (02) 8007 6727.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.