"You need to get your wisdom tooth extracted", advises the dentist. Your fears have come true and these words sends shivers down your spine. No one enjoys their tooth being pulled out by a dentist. Wisdom tooth is a common dental problem that needs extraction at times. One needs to know all about the wisdom teeth coming in symptoms, as they will help you get dental attention sooner, if needed. This is what the paragraphs below focus on.
A wisdom tooth is one of the four teeth that are a part of third set of molars. They are the final set of teeth that tends to grow in the late teens and early twenties. They are called wisdom teeth, as they appear at an age when a person is said to have been matured enough and gained some wisdom in life. A person can grow four such teeth, and it is very much possible to have more. If one does grow more than four, they are called supernumerary teeth.
Are Wisdom Teeth Coming In?
Several times, a person tends to get a vague feeling that something is just not right in the mouth. This feeling may be due to wisdom teeth coming in. There are a few signs of this happening that make you aware that these teeth will soon make an appearance. Some of these signs are:
- Rounded gum formations in the area where your teeth end. These rounded formations occur due to the teeth within that are pushing themselves upwards trying to break free from gum wall.
- Pain and tenderness in the gums and around the jaw.
- Frequent headaches.
- Swelling and redness of the gums.
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- In rare cases, one may suffer from swollen lymph glands in the neck.
- Problems when opening the mouth wide open.
Certain symptoms are an indication that the teeth are not coming through normally. This means that they are affecting the other teeth, as they do not have enough room to grow. They can even be coming in side ways. The impacted wisdom teeth are divided into different categories, based on the alignment of the tooth. This includes:
- Mesioangular impaction: This the most common form of eruption, and it means the tooth is angled forward towards the opening of the mouth.
- Veticle impaction: This is when the tooth does not completely erupt out of the gum line.
- Distoangular impaction: This is the opposite case of mesioangular impaction where the tooth is angled backward towards the throat.
- Horizontal impaction: Very rarely observed, this is a condition when the tooth is angled at 90 degrees sideways and growing into the roots of the second molar.
- Swelling of the gums around the teeth
- Bleeding of gums
- Pain in the jaw
- Bad breath
- Tooth decay or other gum diseases
- Jaw stiffness
- Severe pain and irritation in the area where the tooth is trying to come out in an awkward angle
When one suffers pain from an infection of this tooth, one may have to visit the dentist for further treatment. The common treatment for this condition is removal. A dentist will give the patient local anesthesia and cut through the gum. Then, once he reaches the tooth, it will be broken in pieces and removed. The cut will be stitched using self dissolving stitches. One may suffer from slight bleeding, pain, and swelling for the next few days after the surgery. If the post-operative symptoms do not resolve in the next 5 days, you will have to visit the dentist again. One may suffer from serious companions like dry socket that needs medical help.
Wisdom teeth generally makes an appearance between 17 to 24 years of age. It is not surprising to observe them at a later age as well. It may be a very painful condition for some. However, it only affects 35% of the adults, so there are chances you may never develop this condition ever. Even if you do, there is a strong chance that they do not cause big trouble for you.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.