What To Do If Your Wisdom Teeth Are Coming In
Posted on: 23 January 2018
For most people, wisdom teeth have to be removed due to a lack of space in the mouth. However, some are lucky enough to be able to keep their wisdom teeth. Unfortunately, if you haven't seen a dentist recently or had dental x-rays performed, you might not know which is the case for you. If you think your wisdom teeth are starting to come up through your gums, here's what you should do to reduce your pain and seek help.
Oral Care
You may not remember it, but teeth coming through gums is something that everyone has gone through. The process is unpleasant, as the gum tissue is literally torn open to make way for the emerging tooth. As a result, you could have bleeding from the gums, and your risk of infection will rise while the tissue is damaged and exposed to the bacteria in your mouth.
You should take special care to brush the area while you're going through this process. Use extremely soft strokes to ensure that you're not causing further pain. If you notice blood on your brush or when you spit, this is most likely just due to your gums making way for the teeth.
It's also an excellent idea to use a mouthwash or salt water rinse during this time. This will help to eliminate bacteria before it can cause an infection, or in the case of salt water, soothe the discomfort you're experiencing.
Pain Relief
Since wisdom teeth are molars, the largest teeth you have, you could be in quite a bit of discomfort as they're coming in. Don't put yourself through pain needlessly. Feel free to take over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or aspirin. You can also apply a topical pain reliever like teething gel to help numb the pain at the site. Cool compresses applied to your cheeks may also help to reduce inflammation and discomfort.
Dentist Appointment
Keep in mind that the above two steps are only intended to get you by until you can see a dentist. Visiting a dentist if your wisdom teeth are coming in is of utmost importance.
Your dentist will be able to quickly determine if your mouth is big enough to handle wisdom teeth. If it isn't, they will need to be extracted before they cause damage to surrounding teeth. However, there's also the possibility that one or more of your wisdom teeth aren't coming in properly.
Wisdom teeth that don't come in properly are considered impacted. They can grow in the wrong direction, pushing other teeth that they collide with, or even grow up into the nasal cavity, causing pain and infection risk. With a simple dental x-ray, your dentist will be able to determine if your teeth are growing in properly or not.
Not everyone will need wisdom tooth extraction, but you should still be examined to make sure everything is growing in properly. If you haven't seen a dentist recently, make an appointment as soon as possible.
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