Signs Your Wisdom Teeth Are Coming In
Wisdom teeth, your third molars that develop at the far back of your mouth, are usually the last to emerge, often at the ages of 17 and 24. Since our diet has changed significantly, some pepper no longer develops all their wisdom teeth, while others can grow with a problem. For instance, many people tend to have a smaller jaw, causing insufficient space for wisdom teeth to erupt or grow normally. It can result in pain and other oral problems like infections.
Signs your wisdom teeth are emerging
The surest way to know your wisdom tooth is to contact our dentist for a comprehensive oral exam in York Harbor, ME. X-rays, particularly panoramic x-rays, capture all the teeth and jaws in one image. Thus, it can show your wisdom tooth positions and how close it is to emerging.
You might know that your wisdom teeth are coming by the symptoms they cause. These can include:
- Jaw pain or discomfort at the back of the mouth
- Gum swelling, usually behind the second molars
- Difficulty opening the mouth wide
- Tender or bleeding gums around the back of the mouth
- A bad mouth taste or breathe
- Pain when chewing using the molars
Signs there’s something wrong with your wisdom tooth
While mild discomfort, tenderness, or swelling are normal when a tooth is emerging, some of these symptoms might indicate something is wrong with your mouth or wisdom tooth.
For instance, severe jaw pain or gum swelling might indicate an impacted tooth, and you should get it checked by a dentist. An impacted tooth can also put too much pressure on the jaw, triggering headaches.
An impacted tooth can also encourage plaque buildup around the gum line, putting you at greater risk of a potentially dangerous pericoronitis infection.
Even if the symptoms might have nothing to do with your wisdom teeth, they could indicate other oral problems like gum disease and tooth decay. Other dental issues that can indicate oral problems include:
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Toothache
- Receding gums
- Sores inside the mouth
- Persistent dry mouth or halitosis
- Tooth sensitivity
- Gum and cheek swelling
- Cracked, chipped, and broken teeth
- Damaged crowns, bridges, or crowns
- Tooth pain and sensitivity
Visit our best dentist in York Harbor, ME, for prompt treatment if you have these symptoms. If left untreated for a long time, most oral problems often progress, causing severe discomfort and long-term damage.
Do you need a wisdom tooth extraction?
Even if a wisdom tooth causes mild symptoms like jaw pain and gum soreness, you don’t need to remove it if it’s in good alignment and is not likely to cause any problems. After all, these symptoms should go away after a while.
You can use over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen to manage pain. Also, an ice pack or cold compress can help minimize pain and swelling in the jaw. Warm saltwater rinses can help minimize pain and prevent infections. Consult your dentist for more tips on how to manage wisdom tooth symptoms.
However, an impacted or partially erupted wisdom tooth can result in severe jaw pain, damage to the nearby teeth, serious infections, and other oral problems. In such a case, the dentist can recommend removing the tooth to prevent these problems. Even if an impacted tooth isn’t currently causing any problems, it will likely cause some in the future.
A wisdom tooth extraction is a surgical procedure. The dentist or surgeon makes an incision through the gums to expose the tooth and bone. The dentist removes the bone to expose the tooth’s roots for easier removal. The tooth may break into sections for easier extraction.
Then, the dentist will clean the site and stitch the wound for faster healing. Lastly, you’ll have gauze to bite on to control bleeding. Use your dentist’s aftercare instructions to promote faster healing and recovery and prevent infections.
Do you need dental care services near you?
Contact York Dental Group to speak with our dentist near you for more information about wisdom teeth symptoms and treatments.