If your gums are feeling inflamed and you’re having difficulty opening your mouth, congratulations! Your wisdom teeth are coming through. Wisdom teeth are the molars at the very back of your mouth and usually come through between the ages of 17 to 21.
Signs and symptoms your wisdom teeth are erupting
Most adults have four wisdom teeth (although some lucky folks only have one) and will start to notice these symptoms:
What to do when you notice your wisdom teeth coming through
Regardless of whether your teeth hurt or not, you should still pay a visit to your dentist once you notice your teeth coming through. With a simple x-ray, your dentist will be able to provide further advice. For some people, the teeth will erupt and grow normally and (aside from some minor pain) won’t require removal. However, if you’re experiencing high levels of pain or your teeth are showing signs of impaction, then you will need to get your wisdom teeth removed.
Impaction occurs when your jaw bone or the teeth around your wisdom tooth stop it from coming through. Because the tooth is “trapped”, the roots start elongating and may eventually lead to cysts or tumours.
Wisdom teeth extraction
Extracting your wisdom teeth with a fairly standard procedure that is done using a general or local anaesthetic. Depending on the position of your tooth, the surgery can be quite simple. However, if your tooth is impacted, then a more complicated process is required.
After the surgery, your dentist will give your instructions on how to care for your mouth. Generally speaking, you should avoid smoking, alcohol, and using straws; keep your mouth clean by gargling salt water after meals; and take your prescribed pain medication.
Are your wisdom teeth coming through? Schedule an appointment with the friendly dental team at Marsfield Dental today.
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