Lets Talk About Wisdom Teeth – What you need to know

We have put together everything you need to know about an impacted wisdom tooth and some signs to look out for if you think you have one.

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that most people get in their late teens to early twenties- it’s presumed you’re a little wiser at this stage of your life, which is where the name comes from!

Molars are the widest and strongest of your teeth and their function is to help chew up and grind food, aiding the digestive process by releasing more nutrition. If wisdom teeth come in straight and properly aligned, they can be a great addition to your mouth. However, if they come in misaligned or impacted, they can cause problems and extraction may be required.

Often, when wisdom teeth are trying to break through the gum, there simply isn’t enough room for them to come in, because other teeth in our jaw can block them. In these circumstances, if they do manage to come through, they’re unable to settle into place and develop as they should — this means they’re impacted and issues could arise.

It’s important to note that if the wisdom teeth come in well and you are able to keep them clean, we would generally advise to leave them be, if there are no issues or pain.

Unfortunately, it is common for problems to arise with impacted wisdom teeth, and you may experience one or more symptoms that lead you to believe you have a problem.

These symptoms can include:

• • Tender or swollen gums that may be red or bleeding in certain areas.
  • Sometimes pain and swelling can develop along your jaw. (**If you ever have any type of swelling in the mouth or jaw that inhibits your breathing, please present yourself to the hospital**).
  • Patients can experience a sudden bad taste in their mouth caused by a bacterial infection in the area around the impacted tooth.
  • Some patients can find it hard to open their mouth fully when they have an impacted wisdom tooth.

• Gum disease can develop because it’s difficult to clean the area around an impacted tooth, and food particles become trapped and a magnet for bacteria that thrive in the warm and moist environment of the mouth. This difficulty with cleaning impacted wisdom teeth can also make them more prone to decay.
• Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay (caries) than other teeth. This can occur because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria can easily get trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
• Damage to other teeth. Due to the lack of space in the mouth sometimes the wisdom tooth can push against the second molar, this may cause damage and/or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.

If you suspect you have an impacted wisdom tooth and have some pain or inflammation in the area, you may get some relief from over-the-counter pain medication, before you visit your dentist to find out what’s going on.

If your dentist confirms you have an impacted wisdom tooth, they will likely recommend an extraction so the problem is solved and there’s no possibility of further issues such as this, arising. In many cases, we may recommend you see an Oral Surgeon if an extraction is deemed more complex.

In our clinic,  Dr Maeve Cooney takes a special interest in Oral Surgery, and if you are referred to see her, she will talk you through the surgery process and give you options on anaesthetic; she will also give you details should you wish to have the treatment carried out under IV sedation.

To help prevent impacted wisdom teeth and the problems they cause, it’s beneficial to have regular examinations with your dentist so that they can see wisdom teeth developing and take any necessary action before they cause problems.

To book an appointment or for more information, please call us on 01 454 2022 or email info@portobellodental.com and any of our team will happily book you in.