Learning to Manage Your Dental Problems

6 Tips For Dealing With An Impacted Wisdom Tooth

20 September 2016 by Charlotte Beck

Impacted wisdom teeth occur when they are prevented from completely pushing through the gums and totally erupting. If you have a wisdom tooth that is impacted, your condition is actually not very rare. Anybody who does not have enough room in their mouth is at risk for impacted wisdom teeth. If you believe this is the case for you, follow this advice for best results.

1. See a dentist quickly.

Even if you don't feel pain, it is important that you see your dentist about impacted wisdom teeth. They can quickly become infected and cause severe pain. If the infection worsens enough, it can lead to head and neck issues.

2. Prevention is not possible.

Unfortunately, you cannot prevent a tooth from becoming impacted. All you can do is speak with your dentist so he or she can address the situation before it affects other teeth.

3. Rinse with salt water.

You may find your mouth feeling irritated. If you want to relieve some of the pain, rinse with warm water and salt after taking an over-the-counter pain reliever.

4. Don't be afraid.

A tooth extraction often takes less than half an hour. For wisdom teeth, you may be put to sleep so that you do not feel a single thing. You may have some swelling afterward, and you may struggle to eat hard foods right away. There are few complications of wisdom tooth extraction. Plus, you can talk to your dentist about pain management options for after the procedure.

5. Teeth can be taken out before they erupt.

In order to make the process easier, many dentists prefer to remove all four wisdom teeth at the same time. In fact, they can even remove the teeth before they emerge from the gums. This can prevent future issues and further surgery that could become more complicated.

6. You may need special x-rays to see them.

Dentists can take x-rays of your teeth to see all of those that have already erupted; however, wisdom teeth that are impacted may not show up on routine exam x-rays. You may need to bring this up to your dentist in case they might not realize you still have your wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth can be painful, no matter when they develop. Dentists recommend that you have these teeth taken out earlier rather than later. This can prevent impacted teeth and resulting infection that can leave you with more trouble than it is worth. 

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