Once upon a time, having wisdom teeth was extremely useful. But, as we’ve evolved, our need for these extra pearlies has diminished. For most people, wisdom teeth come through and don’t cause any problems. But what about if they do become painful? We’ve written this helpful guide to help you avoid wisdom teeth problems and manage if they do cause pain.
Wisdom tooth pain
Sometimes there can be mild discomfort as wisdom teeth come through, but this is only temporary and will disappear once the tooth is fully in position.
We often hear patients say that they have had some discomfort, then it went away then it came back. Wisdom teeth often come through in spurts – much like a growth spurt. Erupting a little more each time and often stopping for a few weeks or even several months.
One of the most common causes of wisdom tooth pain isn’t actually from the tooth but from food and plaque getting trapped.
Because wisdom teeth are tucked away in the back of the mouth, you have to be extra thorough in your brushing as it’s easy to miss certain spots.
There can also be a lip of gum over part of the tooth which hasn’t disappeared yet. This allows food and plaque to get trapped and if left there can cause at best a bad taste and bad breath and at worse pain, swelling and limited mouth opening.
If your wisdom teeth start to become painful, then try this:
1) Don’t avoid cleaning the area even if painful. Clean gently and thoroughly to help remove the food and plaque particles. The best way to do this is by using a small-headed toothbrush and not opening too wide. When you only open halfway, you have more manoeuvre more easily then if you were to stretch open as wide as possible.
2) Warm salt mouthwashes. This traditional remedy often surprises people. However, it’s an effective way to help relief wisdom teeth pain. Use a small teaspoon of salt dissolved on some water as warm as you have a cup of tea and swill around the wisdom tooth area for up to a minute. You can repeat this three times a day until better.
3) Take suitable pain relief. If the pain becomes too much, then pain relief medications such as paracetamol can help. You must continue with steps 1 and 2 in addition to taking pain relief. A pharmacist or medical practitioner can advise you on the best pain relief to take for you.
When to seek emergency dental treatment:
- If the pain doesn’t go away after a few days despite following the steps above.
- The pain keeps on getting worse
- You have a facial swelling
- Restricted mouth opening – you can only open a little bit.
- You are concerned that something is wrong.
Will I need to have the wisdom teeth taken out?
If the wisdom tooth is likely to cause you pain or problems, then your dentist will discuss your options for having the tooth removed. But, if there is enough space for the tooth and they are unlikely to cause you ongoing problems, then it’s now advisable to leave the tooth there.
