A Teenager's Guide to Braces

Your dentist might have their own opinion on how to handle wisdom teeth. They may be in favor of removing wisdom teeth early in order to prevent a problem from happening, or want to wait until it is clear that a problem will occur. Wisdom teeth may not grow to the point where they disrupt the teeth next to them, so it's easy to understand this point of view. If you and your dentist are opting to wait until a problem occurs, be aware of these signs of when wisdom teeth should come out.

Rear Jaw Pain

Take note of when you feel pain along the rear of your jaw. This is a signal to you that the impacted wisdom tooth is causing problems. Pain can quickly become intense for some people while being kind of dull to others, so don't judge it based on the level of pain you're feeling. Any sort of pain is a reason to be concerned when you still have your wisdom teeth.

Irritation

For wisdom teeth that have erupted partially, there can be irritation in the gums from the tooth rubbing against soft tissue in your mouth. This includes your cheek, tongue, and gums. It's more common when a wisdom tooth is growing sideways. While irritation is minor, the constant rubbing could lead to an infection or unpleasant sore.

Infection

Infections can happen for several reasons, though it's usually due to the partially erupted tooth causing problems. It's common to have a flap of gum over the tooth, which can cause an infection to occur. There can also be abscess that form and cause an infection. In either situation, bacteria gets trapped in that pocket formed by the gums. Infections can easily become a serious problem, so visit your dentist immediately when you have one.

Teeth Crowding

The wisdom tooth growing in may be perfectly straight, all while not causing any problems with pain, irritation, or infections. However, not having the space for wisdom teeth can cause overcrowding in your mouth. Teeth will begin to shift to make room for the wisdom teeth, causing your orthodontic work to be ruined.

Tooth Decay

Crowded teeth are also pushed together tightly, which will make it very hard to clean between your teeth. This makes it possible for decay to happen because you can't clean the area like you used to be able to.

Thankfully, all of these complications can be avoided by having a dentist, like Family Medical Dental Center, remove your wisdom teeth at the initial sign you're having a problem.