A Shepperton dentist explains wisdom teeth pain
Wisdom teeth are not a nice thing to have when they start to play up, says a Shepperton dentist. Not everyone develops wisdom teeth; they usually appear in the late teens and generally by the age of 21. They are the last teeth that we grow, and they grow on the end of each row of teeth on the inside of the jaw line. Wisdon teeth in general don’t cause us a problem, but sometimes they grow bigger that the space allowed for them, and that’s when the problem starts. Impacted wisdom teeth are the extreme of the problem and these are the worse case scenario, pain follows a swelling of the gums and infection will set in where the tooth cracks and allows bacteria to seep into the inner cavity. Extraction is only possible after a course of antibiotics and when the swelling has disappeared completely, but it may not be necessary and your dentist will advice you on all the options. Your dentist will generally be able to extract the tooth or teeth, but in some extreme cases it may need the skills of a surgeon. Infection is a big risk so keeping the wound clean is a very must-do after a wisdom tooth extraction; this may include not smoking for a few days while the deep wound heals. It is generally done under a local anaesthetic although a general may be needed in some rare cases, this will be done by a dental surgeon in a hospital theatre. Stitches will be needed and a follow up appointment will be made at the dentist afterwards, these are usually self dissolving stitches and the healing process can take up to a few weeks to completely heal the wound. The removal will stop any further problems, and it is usually the end of any future tooth pain on those particular teeth.