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Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a High Street Dental Practice dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at High Street Dental Practice to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at High Street Dental Practice if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your High Street Dental Practice dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at High Street Dental Practice as soon as possible.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01342 458034.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to High Street Dental Practice. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

991 Reviews

5.0

5th December 2024

Very friendly and helpful staff.

4th December 2024

Helena has an excellent manner about her and is thorough yet gentle at cleaning my teeth.

3rd December 2024

Caring friendly people

30th November 2024

We’ll run, courteous staff. Practical advice given based on common sense and taking patients situation into account. Not trying to sell unnecessary treatments.

26th November 2024

All the people at the practice are extremely professional and friendly and I have every confidence in the treatments I receive there

23rd November 2024

Dentist is so good with my autistic daughter, it’s the only place that she has ever been happy to go back too and finally somewhere she feels safe. It’s taken over 10yrs to find a dentist she completely trusts and listens too. This is so rare. The dentist and nurse explains everything before doing it and my daughter feels totally at ease with them. Can’t thank you all enough. The reception staff are amazing too.

23rd November 2024

The staff all ways make me feel welcome not just as a patient but as a person who has needs which they help with.

21st November 2024

Wonderful staff!

20th November 2024

A friendly, thorough and professional approach.

17th November 2024

Very professional welcoming practice

14th November 2024

All the staff are incredibly friendly and professional

14th November 2024

Great knowledge and expertise. Very friendly

14th November 2024

I trust Jas and his staff - I am been coming to this practice for many years and alway been pleased with the treatment

14th November 2024

I have been a patient at this Dentist for many years and have always found the team to be friendly and helpful. My dentist thoroughly explains all the treatment I receive and treats me with respect. This makes me feel comfortable and confident that my needs are being put first. I have had bad experiences in the past, however since being a patient at High Street I have managed to overcome those anxieties.I would like to say a big thankyou and keep up the good work.

13th November 2024

Dental Surgery is always very helpful. Whatever my appointment is for. Staff excellent.

9th November 2024

Can get appointment when required. Very good standard of care

9th November 2024

check up revealed nerve damage to a tooth - dentist spent a long time testing, doing xray and explaining possible treatments etc

8th November 2024

Attention to detail, pleasant staff, quick appointment.

8th November 2024

Always satisfied after over a decade coming tothis dental practice.

6th November 2024

I feel confident in the treatment that I receive. All the staff are friendly and helpful.Open times are good and the practice has good opening hours over the Christmas period.

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