An adult with a full set of teeth will have 32 of them. Wisdom teeth are the four at the back of the mouth that come through last; usually in late teens or early twenties. They have a reputation for causing problems and many people experience pain and swelling when they start to come through. In the past, the removal of wisdom teeth was much more common but these days dentists do not like removing teeth unless there is a real need to. Modern adult jaws are smaller than they used to be and often there is only enough room for 28 teeth in a healthy mouth – but sometimes wisdom teeth can come through causing no problems at all.
When wisdom teeth start to come through they usually cause mild pain and swelling which may happen on and off for a few months or even years until the teeth have fully come through. Sometimes people get a bad taste in their mouth due to bacteria building up or food particles getting trapped around where the wisdom tooth is breaking through the gum – an antiseptic mouthwash and special cleaning techniques will be needed to get rid of built up bacteria. If the infection gets worse, antibiotics may be needed. Sometimes there will not be enough room for a wisdom tooth to come through; in this case it is common for the wisdom tooth to become ‘impacted’. This means that whilst trying to come through, the wisdom tooth has not had enough room and has got stuck on the tooth in front of it. This is not a rare problem and by taking an x-ray, the dentist will be able to see this and will be able to give advice about how to treat it.
Wisdom teeth do tend to be uncomfortable when coming through and a good way to deal with the pain is to swish a mouthful of warm water with one teaspoon of salt around your mouth. Try to get the salt water to reach areas that your toothbrush can’t and repeat this a few times a day. Pain relieving medication such as paracetamol can also help deal with the pain but shouldn’t be used too frequently. Your dentist is the best person to talk to if you have any pain as they will be able to provide things such as antiseptic mouthwash and antibiotics. Dentists will be able to advise which the best medication for you is as well as being able to decide if more involved treatment, such as an extraction is necessary.
The extraction of wisdom teeth is still a common procedure and can vary in difficulty and likely discomfort depending on the size and position of the roots, the position of the tooth, and how crowded the mouth is. Fees vary for extractions from dentist to dentist and usually the top wisdom teeth are simpler to remove. It is always best to get a quote before undergoing treatment and sometimes it is a good idea to get a second opinion if you are told wisdom teeth need to be removed.
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Simon Smyth Dentistry
Shield House, Brook St, Bishop’s Waltham, Southampton, Hampshire SO32 1AX
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