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What to Do When Your Wisdom Teeth Hurt?

What Exactly are Wisdom Teeth?

They are the third set of molars, at the back of your jaw. Usually, around the age of 17 to 25, these teeth begin to break through the gum-line and erupt from the jawbone. Many of us have them, but for some, it’s still a mystery.

Our ancestors needed these teeth because the food they ate was much harder than what we consume today. Earlier humans had larger jaws and it was easier to accommodate these gnashing teeth.

Normally, an individual has four wisdom teeth – one each on the right & left side of both the lower & upper jaw. However, in some rare cases, one may have six or more! A condition referred to as hyperdontia, one which may require a double set of extractions. Ouch!!

What Problems Do Wisdom Teeth Cause?

Well frankly, most people often decide to get them removed due to the dental complications that they can cause. Common problems due to wisdom teeth would be:

  1. Gum pain, and inflammation due to wisdom teeth coming through

    Dull jaw pain, a feeling of pressure and mild pain is usually accompanied by inflammation of the gum. It may cause intense oral pain in some rare cases.

  2. Wisdom tooth infection

    Due to their placement on the jaw, the second and third molars may develop a decay between them, which leads to an abscess if left untreated.

  3. Tooth decay (usually minor)

    It’s difficult to clean these teeth due to their tricky location at the back. Even people who keep flawless oral health may have problems keeping these rare teeth clean.

  4. Impacted wisdom tooth
    Horizontal_impacted_wisdom_tooth

    Impacted wisdom tooth occurs when the tooth is diagonally placed and doesn’t have the space to align to its proper position.

Home Remedies for Wisdom tooth pain relief

wisdom_tooth_pain_relief_home_remediesFor minor and temporary pain relief, some home remedies can be quite potent. We usually recommend:

  • Ibuprofen: An over-the-top counter medicine that can be consumed after following the directions on the packaging.
  • Numbing gel (benzocaine): Numbing the gums/teeth with a gel is recommended for effective pain relief.
  • Sore-water rinses: Unless it’s a major pain, rinsing your mouth for 30-60 seconds with sore mouth rinse helps.
  • Ice-chips/Ice-pack: The most common way to relieve pain.
  • Cloves/Clove oil: An old wives’ recipe that works well to appease toothaches.
  • Teabags: ‘Tannins’ contained in a teabag are anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
  • Onions: The antimicrobial properties of onion reduce swelling and fights bacterial infection.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

wisdom teeth removal procedure

When the pain is uncontrollable, it is highly advised to go to a dentist for the removal of wisdom teeth. To prevent complications, and worsening of pain, we recommend getting surgery to pull out the wisdom teeth if it is impacted, or doesn’t have enough space to get accommodated in the jaw.

Post Wisdom Teeth Removal, steps are usually under-rated. Remember these steps:

  • Avoid brushing, flossing or rinsing for 24 hours.
  • Placing an icepack over the jaw.
  • Keep the mouth clean by rinsing with saltwater 24 hours post-surgery.
  • Eat soft food like cottage cheese, yoghurt, and apple sauce initially.

Enough of the pain then, you now know what you need to get out of your wisdom teeth trouble.