Wisdom tooth pain happens to many people in their late teenage years and early twenties. During this stage of life, your wisdom teeth, the third set of molars, begin to push through your gums. Emerging wisdom teeth cause painful oral issues like impaction, overcrowding, or infection for many teenagers and young adults.
Understanding wisdom tooth pain symptoms can help you know when to visit your dentist about your wisdom teeth. If you experience wisdom tooth pain, book an appointment with a Toothsome dentist for an oral assessment.
What are Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that commonly surface between 18 and 24. These molars come in at the end of your row of teeth, near the back of your mouth.
Not everyone has wisdom teeth, and some people may only get one, two or three. However, around 80% of people with wisdom teeth experience wisdom tooth issues, such as one or more wisdom teeth partially breaking through their gums.
Why Does Wisdom Tooth Pain Occur?
Wisdom tooth pain occurs when one or more wisdom teeth begin to emerge through your gums. Most people’s mouths don’t have enough space for additional molars, so when your wisdom teeth erupt, they cause issues for your surrounding teeth and gums. These complications include impaction, infection, ulcers, chewing problems, and sinus pain.
Impaction
When a wisdom tooth erupts at an angle, it can push into your gum or surrounding teeth. This is called impaction and is the most common reason for a wisdom tooth removal. If a tooth is impacted, you may experience swollen, tender or bleeding gums, jaw pain, bad breath, or difficulty opening your mouth.
Impaction can also cause tooth decay because the angle makes it difficult to clean the tooth. Cleaning the tooth can be further complicated when a mass of soft tissue (operculum) develops over a partially erupted tooth trapping bacteria.
Infection
Impacted wisdom teeth are prone to infection because their alignment traps food debris and bacteria. Not only can fully or partially impacted wisdom teeth cause you pain with initial infection, but if you don’t address the infection with your dentist, it can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Ulcers
If your wisdom tooth comes in sideways, it can rub against the inside of your cheek. Constant friction can cause you to develop mouth ulcers that are painful and make it difficult to chew.
Chewing issues
If you have an impacted wisdom tooth or your wisdom teeth push your other teeth out of alignment, you may experience difficulty chewing your food. It may hurt to put pressure on your gums surrounding your wisdom teeth, making it hard to eat certain foods that require you to chew using your molars.
Sinus pain
Some people have upper wisdom teeth that grow too close to their sinus cavity. If this occurs, you may feel sinus pain or pressure as your wisdom teeth begin to push through your upper gums. Constant sinus pain can impact your overall well-being and make it difficult to chew and breathe.
Tooth misalignment
When your wisdom tooth comes in at an angle, it can push your other teeth out of alignment. Over time, this can give you a misshapen smile and cause you to feel uncomfortable pressure in your jaw.
Wisdom Tooth Pain Symptoms to Look For
You may experience a range of wisdom tooth pain symptoms that alert you to the emergence of your wisdom teeth. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should book a wisdom tooth consultation with your dentist.
Toothsome offers wisdom tooth removal services, including initial consultation and exam to help you address troublesome wisdom tooth pain symptoms and restore oral comfort.
Common symptoms of problems with your wisdom teeth include:
- Swelling
- Pain
- Inflamed gums at the wisdom tooth site
- Pus
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Damage to nearby teeth
- Fever
- Bad breath
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or breathing
What Can You Do About Wisdom Tooth Pain Symptoms?
When you experience wisdom tooth pain, the best action to take is to call your dentist. The dentists at Toothsome can determine what’s causing your issues and how to treat your emerging wisdom teeth.
If your wisdom teeth are not impacted, your dentist may recommend a simple extraction to remove them and prevent further problems. An extraction is a simple procedure that requires a local anaesthetic to numb your gums. Your dentist uses a dental elevator and forceps to loosen and remove the tooth.
If your dentist discovers impaction or another more serious issue with your wisdom teeth, you may need to have wisdom tooth removal surgery. Wisdom tooth removal surgery generally requires you to be put under general anaesthesia so your dentist can open your gums and surgically remove your wisdom tooth or teeth from your jawbone.
It may take around ten days to recover from wisdom tooth removal surgery; however, your wisdom tooth pain will be gone. This procedure also positively impacts your oral health by reducing your risk of infection or tooth decay due to impaction.
Schedule a Wisdom Tooth Consultation
If you are experiencing pressure, pain, or infection due to complications with your wisdom teeth, contact the team at Toothsome Implants Chatswood on (02) 9158 6637 to book a wisdom tooth consultation. Our dentists will speak with you about your symptoms and perform an oral exam to determine what type of treatment is best for your oral health.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
