Wisdom teeth: what’s the hassle?
You may not have experienced it yet, but as we grow and develop into adults we often find maturity and age has fantastic perks – but also has some handful of downfalls.
Here at Bhat Dental Associates, our patients are often curiously asking why they have to get their wisdom teeth removed. Growing up is a thrilling adventure, but around the ages of late-teens to mid-twenties, many experience the uninvited arrival of nasty and painful wisdom teeth!
Wisdom teeth are set of four teeth that break though the gums at the end of each jaw. For some lucky people, their wisdom teeth may never develop and for others they may grow out without much drama. Typically however, around 80% of young adults will need their wisdom teeth removed.
So why would I get them?
Wisdom teeth were used for dietary reasons. However as generations continue and we evolve through the ages, wisdom teeth have tended to become less useful in accordance to our eating habits. Our mouth shapes are now narrowing; constricting the space available for wisdom teeth. This is known to cause irritation as the teeth attempt to surface and can lead to damage around the nerve tissue, along with a handful of other side-effects.
How do I know if my wisdom teeth are emerging?
As wisdom teeth surface, you’re likely to experience a bit of aches and pains through the jaw and gums. This isn’t the end of the world! Consider infants as they struggle through their teething – constant crying in pain. You have to understand that just because your gum and jaw is hurting, it doesn’t necessarily mean your wisdom teeth need to be taken out.
This pain is because the tooth has to grow and forge its own path through the existing gums and jaw. This may happen all in one go, but in most cases wisdom teeth will grow in stages over months or even years. If the tooth finishes growing with no issues, the gum should heal relatively quickly until the movement of the tooth disturbs the gums again.
We recommend at Bhat Dental Associates that even if you are not experiencing overactive symptoms and are between the ages of 17 and 21, we would advise for you to book an appointment with our dentist now and undergo an assessment. This is because while you are still young your gums can potentially heal faster, shortening the recovery time.
Symptoms to look out for…
If you are experiencing a persistent amount of pain, its best to book a consultation with our professional team at Bhat Dental Associates and determine what treatments need to be advised. Pay attention to the list bellow and see how relevant these symptoms are to you:
- Experiencing headaches and prolonged pain in the jaw, sometimes accompanied with blurred vision in severe cases
- Gums are swelling from infection – could eventuate to abscesses
- Torn and sore cheeks on the inside that are not healing properly
- Bad taste in the mouth, sometimes making you feel sick in the stomach
- Teeth are becoming decayed from difficulty with cleaning
- The teeth are angling awkwardly and could potentially crowed or damage the adjacent teeth
What if my wisdom teeth are already grown?
Although wisdom teeth generally are in need of removal, you may be one of the lucky people who are unaffected by the change. If this is the case, you should have had the following characteristics throughout the growth:
- The eruption was successful and infection free
- None of the surrounding teeth suffered damage
- The teeth are within brushing and flossing range
- Your natural bite is still well-aligned and unharmed
Having successful wisdom tooth growth is definitely a thing to celebrate! We would suggest though, that even if your wisdom teeth have happily set in, make sure to take regular trips to the dentist every 6 months to ensure the health of your pearly whites.
If you think that even one of the above points didn’t match your wisdom tooth growth, take the time to book an appointment with our trained professionals today – because poor oral health can often escalate quickly when not kept in check.
How wisdom teeth extraction can benefit you!
Monitor your oral hygiene by booking in with our fantastic team of specialists and staff. Removal is often easier for younger people, so if you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth, make sure you take care to see a professional before the issue worsens.
