Wisdom tooth pain affects many people can include quite mild to severe symptoms. Pain can be felt at the back of the mouth on both the top or the bottom, where the wisdom teeth form. Sometimes, one tooth will cause pain and sometimes multiple teeth will hurt at once. As wisdom teeth usually only form in adults, any pain in this area usually has different causes in children and young adults.
Your wisdom teeth will erupt during your late teens and early twenties, and there may be growing pains as they come in that subsides once they have fully formed. If you experience wisdom teeth pain after this time, there may be a lack of space and the wisdom tooth may become stuck – or impacted.
Impacted wisdom teeth can cause severe tooth pain and jaw pain, meaning you may have to get your wisdom teeth removed. An impacted wisdom tooth can also cause the following oral health issues:
- Tooth decay: Not only can people experience pain from impacted wisdom teeth, but you are also more likely to get dental cavities – as bacteria can affect the gums around the edge of the tooth. Tooth decay will cause extra pain.
- Infection: If you have an impacted wisdom tooth you may develop an abscess more easily, which can lead to a tooth infection that might spread to other areas of the mouth, jaw and even elsewhere in your body.
- Gum disease: Although you do not see your wisdom teeth as much as others, impacted teeth face issues from gum disease. Gum disease may be less visible – even if the pain is manageable. Gum disease can spread to the rest of the mouth.
If you have wisdom tooth pain as a result of impacted teeth, then you may require the services of oral surgeons to remove them. If you have wisdom tooth pain because they are beginning to erupt and are still developing, you may be able to help ease and lessen the severity of the pain by using over-the-counter pain treatments.
As experts in delivering a wide range of dental treatments, we are well-placed to explain some more on what you need to know about wisdom tooth pain. We specialise in dealing with nervous patients. If you would like to book an appointment in the Brighton and Hove area you can visit our clinic. Get in touch with us today.
Tips to Ease Wisdom Tooth Pain
If you have wisdom teeth pain that is the result of an impacted tooth you will probably require tooth removal to effectively treat the pain. If your wisdom teeth are still coming in or you have recently had your wisdom teeth removed, you may be experiencing some pain that can respond to home treatments.
You can try the following potential methods of pain relief at home using over-the-counter medications and natural home remedies:
- Pain relievers: Simple measures such as over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and paracetamol can reduce wisdom tooth pain. If you have had your wisdom removed, you may have had a local anaesthetic – the use of pain relievers such as ibuprofen will help to reduce inflammation while you recover.
- Clove oil: If you want a natural remedy, cloves or clove oil may be a good option. You can easily find cloves in many kitchens, so try placing a whole clove on the area. Another option is buying concentrated clove oil, which you can use by putting a few drops on cotton wool and placing it on the tooth.
- Saltwater: Another very simple home remedy is to try a saltwater solution. Making a mouth rinse with salt water is a good way to ease many kinds of tooth pain. Simply dissolve around half a teaspoon of salt in some warm water, rinse, spit and repeat. You should not swallow the saltwater solution.
If you have recently had surgery to remove your wisdom teeth your oral surgeon may give you some pain relief medications as a part of your treatment. Always follow the advice of your dentist if you have had wisdom tooth removal surgery, they may also suggest trying some home remedies.
How Long Does Wisdom Tooth Pain Last?
If you have just undergone wisdom tooth removal there may be severe pain, but it will typically last around a few days – it is up to 2 weeks before all discomfort usually lessens. It is important for your oral health to carefully clean your remaining teeth during this time, to reduce the likelihood of complications from bacteria.
If your wisdom teeth are still erupting then you may experience wisdom tooth pain until they are fully formed, you can use home treatments to help with this until then. Should your tooth pain continue you may have an impacted wisdom tooth or another issue, so make sure you see a dentist if your pain symptoms are chronic.
What You Need to Know About Wisdom Tooth Pain
Wisdom tooth pain is a common dental problem and may resolve by itself if the teeth are still coming in, but if you have pain beyond this period you may have an impacted wisdom tooth that requires surgery for pain relief. You can use home remedies to treat pain while waiting for surgery or in the post-surgical period.
While toothache and pain in the jaw can be helped with pain relief medications, the best way to ease the pain from wisdom teeth is to continue treatments until they fully form or undergo surgery to lessen the pain of any impacted teeth. Get in touch with us today to book an appointment in the Brighton and Hove area.
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