Wisdom Teeth a Pain in the Mouth

To avoid a toothache, keep your mouth clean. But for wisdom teeth, pain is inevitable.

Many high school students have their wisdom teeth removed, and sometimes people don’t have the surgery until well into their twenties.

Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars. The majority of the time, they are misaligned, and removal is necessary. But every once in a while, they can be an asset and properly aligned.

When they are misaligned, many potential problems may arise. They can crowd out and damage teeth, the jawbone, or nerves. They can lean towards the second molars and make them more vulnerable to decay by trapping bacteria and inflaming the gums with infection.

Teeth that remain partially or completely trapped within the tissue or jawbone are termed “impacted.” If impacted teeth become infected, they can cause pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. These teeth are prone to tooth decay and gum disease because of their hard-to-reach location.

If any of these symptoms arise, a dentist or oral surgeon should be a patient’s first resource. Chances are, at this point in the process, a doctor will recommend that these teeth be extracted before further problems develop.

Depending on the position of the teeth, the ease of the extraction can be incredibly simple or a complete hassle. Often times, the tooth will be removed in small sections rather than whole to minimize the amount of bone that needs to be removed.

Before the teeth are removed, the teeth and surrounding tissue will be numbed with anesthetic. After this, the dentist or oral surgeon will decide whether to use a sedative to control anxiety. These sedative medications include nitrous oxide an oral sedative (ex. Valium), or an intravenous sedative. Doctors always recommend that patients have someone escort them home after the procedure, both for save transportation and at-home pampering.

The speed of recovery will depend on the difficulty of the removal. In the first twenty-four hours, patients can expect bleeding and facial swelling.  Pain medications, antibiotics, and a liquid diet are the norm for the first few days.  Also, recovering patients must be sure to keep their mouths clean. They should rinse with salt water and be careful when brushing.

After the first twenty-four hours, facial swelling will still be evident.  Applying ice can help with the swelling. The patient should keep rinsing his or her mouth with salt water, not commercial rinses. The stitches, if they were used and not the self-dissolving kind, will be removed in about a week. Also, patients should be wary of signs of dry-socket, which is a common complication that occurs when a blood clot has either failed to form or become dislodged.

The price of the procedure varies depending on the area of the country, but insurance will usually cover all or most of it. Let time take its course, and all should be well in a matter of a week or two.