Wisdom teeth are usually the last set of permanent teeth to develop. They grow after all the other teeth have grown and occupied their positions on the gum. Sometimes they do not have enough space to sprout fully, causing them to grow at various angles or become impacted. When this happens, they can cause significant problems, including pain, discomfort, inflammation, and oral infections. Various complications can arise from that, which necessitate the immediate removal of partially developed or impacted teeth.
Thus, if you feel pain or discomfort in or around your developing wisdom teeth, talk to your dentist immediately. Taking immediate action will protect you from painful and more serious complications that can affect your oral and general health. Here are indications of an immediate need to extract wisdom teeth:
If You Have Suffered Bone Loss Due To Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums that affects the stability of your teeth and causes jawbone loss. It starts mildly, as gingivitis, and progresses quickly and dangerously to the gums and the teeth’s underlying structures if left untreated. Harmful bacteria cause periodontal disease. This usually happens when you fail to practice good oral hygiene. This encourages the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth, which can affect your teeth and soft gum tissues.
The disease starts as an inflammation of your gums, which causes them to bleed and appear reddish without any apparent cause. With time, the bacteria spread to the gum tissues, deepening your gum pockets as they spread to the teeth’s underlying structures and roots. It affects your teeth’s anchorage, eventually resulting in tooth loss. If bacteria are not treated promptly, they can spread to the jawbone, leading to severe bone loss.
Your jawbone supports your teeth, providing a solid anchorage. If it is affected, your teeth’s support is no longer strong enough to support additional teeth. When the wisdom teeth start developing, and your jawbone is already affected, there will no longer be enough support for the developing teeth. This can cause you more harm than good. Dentists recommend immediate removal of the developing wisdom teeth as you receive treatment for the disease and bone loss.
If You Have Difficulties Keeping Your Teeth Clean
Brushing and flossing are the best oral hygiene habits to keep your mouth clean and free from harmful bacteria. Dentists recommend brushing twice and flossing daily to remove stuck foods and debris from your teeth. These habits keep the environment in your mouth inhospitable to harmful bacteria. It also keeps your breath fresh and your teeth sparkling.
However, if your teeth have not fully developed, it can be a challenge to keep them clean, regardless of how well you brush and floss. Because they are the last teeth to develop, wisdom teeth do not always form like your other permanent teeth. If there is insufficient space in the gums for them to develop properly, they may become misaligned or overlap other teeth. These could be perfect traps for food and harmful bacteria, which can lead to cavities, periodontal disease, and bad breath.
If your wisdom teeth are not properly aligned or developed, your dentist can recommend immediate extraction. This will make brushing and flossing easy, as you can reach all parts of your teeth and gums every day. It will reduce your risk of cavities, gum disease, and halitosis. A clean, fresh-smelling mouth will, in turn, boost your confidence and your smile.
If You Have Developed a Tumor or Cyst Around an Impacted Wisdom Tooth
Jaw tumors and cysts are uncommon. However, they can develop around your mouth’s soft tissues or jawbone. This mostly happens around an impacted tooth. When a tooth fails to erupt, a fluid-filled tissue sac may form around the impacted tooth. Sometimes, a benign tumor can also develop. Cysts are usually fluid-filled sacs or lesions, while tumors are usually solid masses. Although they are generally not cancerous, they require immediate professional evaluation. Also, they vary significantly in size and severity.
If your wisdom teeth are developing and you experience any of these conditions, it is advisable to talk to your dentist sooner rather than later. Although jawbone tumors and cysts do not cause serious symptoms at first, larger ones can cause sensitivity and swelling. They may also cause jaw fractures and tooth loss if allowed to grow significantly. A cyst can also break, causing a severe oral infection that can spread to the rest of the body through the bloodstream.
Dentists recommend the extraction of wisdom teeth if they cause jawbone tumors or cysts. This prevents the issue from recurring. It also protects your remaining teeth from loss or misalignment, which is a common issue with developing wisdom teeth.
If Your Wisdom Teeth Have Caused Dental Crowding
Dental crowding is a serious condition that occurs when there is not enough space in the mouth for all your developing teeth. The developing teeth leave a space between them where harmful bacteria thrive, and plaque develops. This also makes brushing and flossing difficult, compromising your oral hygiene. It increases your risk of cavities, gum disease, enamel wear, and halitosis.
Natural teeth develop evenly on the gums, leaving just enough space between them. This makes it easy for you to reach all your teeth when brushing and flossing. Properly aligned teeth also create an even smile, boosting your confidence.
Sadly, your once properly aligned teeth can become crowded as your wisdom teeth begin to develop. Since they are usually the last teeth to develop, they can squeeze out, misplacing the already developed teeth and causing dental crowding. When this happens, it could mark the beginning of a major problem, especially with maintaining good oral hygiene.
If your wisdom teeth lack sufficient space to erupt fully, your dentist may recommend extraction. This protects the already developed teeth from crowding. It also keeps your fully developed teeth evenly spaced out in the mouth for a perfect smile and seamless oral hygiene.
If You Have Developed Cavities on or Around Your Wisdom Teeth
Remember that wisdom teeth can make it hard to keep your teeth and gums clean. Proper oral hygiene is recommended to reduce your risk of cavities and gum disease. However, if your developing wisdom teeth cause overcrowding or teeth misalignment, it could be difficult to clean your back teeth. This encourages the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.
If you have a developing cavity around your back teeth or on your developing wisdom teeth, your dentist can recommend extracting the wisdom teeth. Treating the cavity may not lower your risk of cavities if your back teeth are still misaligned or crowded. In addition to treating the cavity, extracting the wisdom teeth will create enough space for your brush and dental floss during everyday brushing and flossing. You can comfortably reach all parts of your teeth and gums to remove harmful bacteria and plaque.
Sadly, some cities, especially those around the back teeth, can be difficult to see. This could delay treatment until it is already too late to save the affected tooth. However, dentists explain some signs that you may have a cavity. You should visit their office immediately if you notice some of these signs:
- Your teeth are sensitive to cold or hot drinks or foods
- You experience a spontaneous toothache
- You notice a brown or black stain on one of your teeth’s biting surfaces
- There is a visible hole or pit in one of your teeth
- One or more of your teeth’s surfaces feel uneven
If Your Partially-Erupted Teeth Become Infected
When wisdom teeth lack sufficient space to erupt fully, they partially develop, leading to significant inflammation of the gum tissue. Part of the gum becomes trapped on the chewing surface of the developing wisdom teeth, leading to severe pain, redness, and inflammation. If the inflammation is not treated immediately, it can develop into a serious infection that spreads through the bloodstream to the rest of your body. The infection causes your gums to swell, your teeth to become sensitive, and the entire area to become very painful.
The infection happens when some of the foods and drinks you consume become trapped between the affected tooth and an overlapping gum tissue. This causes the harmful bacteria to penetrate the affected tooth. An abscess can form beneath the overlapping gums. If the abscess bursts, the infection can spread to the entire area, causing even more pain.
Some of the signs of an infection that you should watch out for include the following:
- You have bad breath due to the trapped foods that remain beneath the overlapping gum
- Your gum tissues, especially around the developing wisdom teeth, are reddish or pinkish because of the inflammation
- You have a bad taste in the mouth due to the pus from a leaking or burst abscess
- Your lymph nodes are swollen, painful, and uncomfortable.
Your Gums are Tender, Swollen, or Bleeding
The major cause of tender, swollen, or bleeding gums is harmful oral bacteria that cause gingivitis and periodontal disease. Once the bacteria start attacking your gums, they become inflamed and can easily bleed without an apparent cause. As the disease worsens and begins to spread, the inflammation spreads to other parts of the gums, including the gum pockets.
Poor oral hygiene habits are generally the cause of this condition. This can happen when developing wisdom teeth affect your oral hygiene. When developing teeth cause misalignment or dental crowding or become impacted, it can be difficult to keep your teeth and gums completely clean. This could lead to the growth of harmful oral bacteria, which can cause plaque buildup on your gum tissues.
If you visit your dentist’s office due to gum disease, they will identify the cause of the gum disease and recommend the right treatment. Extracting the problematic wisdom teeth could be the best solution to stop gum disease once and for good.
Impacted teeth can also cause inflamed or swollen gums even without gum disease. This necessitates the immediate removal of the problematic wisdom teeth to resolve the underlying matter and prevent recurrence.
If Your Jawbone is Painful or Damaged
Your jawbone is the primary foundation for your teeth and facial structure. It enables essential functions such as breathing, chewing, and speaking. When it becomes damaged or painful, these critical functions are significantly affected. Your jawbone can be damaged for several reasons, including tooth loss, periodontal disease, or impacted teeth. When your wisdom teeth start squeezing their way out of the limited space on the gum, they can compromise the strength of the jaw structure. When this happens, you could experience difficulty chewing or opening your mouth.
If the developing wisdom teeth become impacted, they may exert excess pressure on the jawbone, weakening and severely damaging it. This can result in pain that spreads to your face and neck. There are several home remedies you can use to ease the pain and discomfort when your jawbone becomes affected. They include a numbing gel or an ice pack to dull the pain and reduce discomfort as the wisdom teeth erupt.
However, your dentist can recommend immediate extraction of the developing wisdom teeth if there is insufficient space for them to erupt fully. This will preserve the integrity of the jawbone and prevent further pain and discomfort.
Find an Experienced Advanced Dentist Near Me
If your developing wisdom teeth are causing you problems in La Puente, you need to talk to an advanced dentist immediately. Some issues you may experience include pain, discomfort, sensitivity, and inflammation. Your dentist will diagnose and recommend the right treatment to stop your symptoms and prevent further issues. In most cases, dentists recommend immediate extraction of problematic wisdom teeth to prevent further problems and protect your already developed teeth.
At La Puente Advanced Dentistry, our skilled and experienced dentists are experts in handling all dental issues related to wisdom teeth. We have handled all types of problems associated with problematic wisdom teeth and can recommend the right, timely treatment for you or your loved one. Call us at 626-626-7075 to discuss your needs and our services further.
