Everything you need to know about Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth that erupts as third molars in your mouth. You can have at most four wisdom teeth, but not necessarily.  You can have any number of wisdom teeth in your lifetime, or even have no wisdom teeth at all. Since the back of mouth has very less space for any teeth, so wisdom teeth are prone to erupt at abnormal angles, known as impacted wisdom teeth. 

What are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth which do not have enough space at the end of mouth emerge and develop abnormally. Such teeth are referred to as impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth result in pain, swelling, damaging other teeth, oral infections and other dental complications. In some cases, if wisdom tooth is not much impacted, it does not cause any issues. Wisdom teeth require a great attention towards hygiene as they are hard to clean. If not cleaned and brushed properly, they may cause the tooth decay, leaving the other teeth prone to cavities and gum infections. Impacted wisdom teeth are recommended to be removed, even if they do not cause any immediate problems. They should be removed in order to avoid any future complications. 

Symptoms of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

The common symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth are listed as below It is to be noted that the symptoms might not always occur for some people. 

• Bad breath
• Swollen and bleeding gums
• Jaw and gum pain
• Difficulty in chewing food
• Occurrence of cavities in otherwise healthy teeth

Causes of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

There is no external factor contributing to the eruption of wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth usually emerge between the age of 17 to 27 years. By this time, our mouth and teeth are fully developed, and all the teeth are adjusted at such angles leaving no space for any extra teeth to develop. In some cases, wisdom teeth may line up with the other teeth if they find a proper space to develop. However, in most cases, the mouth is too crowded to let the third molars develop normally. So the third molars are trapped inside the gum, half erupting from the gums revealing the crown (partially impacted form). In some cases, the teeth might not erupt at all and stay fully inside the gum (fully impacted). 

Treatment of Impacted Wisdom Teeth

It is suggested to get the impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed in time. To have a clear view, one should get an x-ray of the mouth to see the actual condition of the overall oral structure and proceed accordingly.  A wisdom tooth extraction is performed as outpatient procedure. You can go home the same day of the procedure.  For a the surgery, you might be given local anaesthesia, sedation anaesthesia or general anaesthesia based on the complexity of the procedure. An incision is made to expose the tooth. The tooth is then divided into pieces as pieces are easy to remove. After cleaning and removing the debris, the gum is stitched to start the healing. Healing may take from 10 days to one month. After the procedure, you should bear in mind the following precautions:

• Make sure your bleeding is controlled. Some oozing out of blood may occur, which is normal. But make sure it is not a heavy blood flow. 
• You may have to take pain killers for the post procedure pain management. If your pain intensity is not being controlled, you should consult our concerned doctor. 
• Do not talk, chew hard food or perform any exertion activity with your jaw and give it a complete rest, at least for a week. 
• Keep yourself hydrated and avoid beverages containing alcohol and caffeine. Do not take any carbonated drink as well in the first 24 hours.  
• Use mouthwash to maintain your hygiene. Avoid brushing your teeth for a do or so as you want to be gentle on your gums. 
• If you encounter any unusual symptom like problem in swallowing or breathing, excessive bleeding, fever, high intensity pain, worsened swelling or infection in the gums, consult your doctor right away. 

Complications:

If impacted wisdom teeth are not taken care of or not removed timely (if required), one can face the following complications:

• Damage and decaying of the teeth nearby wisdom tooth
• Pushing the teeth nearby, resulting in overall structure change of the normal teeth
• Cysts
• Gum diseases and infections
• Dental complications

Conclusion:

You can not control the erupting or impaction of the wisdom teeth. However, you can and should be more attentive towards your oral hygiene, especially after the occurrence of impacted wisdom teeth. It is advised to have a dental consultation every six months to monitor your oral health.