Our wisdom teeth typically erupt in early adulthood, sometime between our teenage years and age 25. The ideal window to have wisdom teeth removed is during early adulthood, before the wisdom teeth roots grow and get entangled with the Inferior dental nerve.
If you have missed that window, you may still have impacted wisdom teeth. These teeth may not have caused problems for years. But wisdom teeth issues may flare up after the age of 40 due to hormonal changes or accumulation of bacteria and plaque over the years. These changes can lead to oral health issues that affect your well-being in your 40s. It is essential to seek professional dental care to address these complications before they worsen.
Common Causes of Wisdom Tooth Pain
Sudden wisdom tooth pain in your later years could be due to a variety of reasons.
Impacted Wisdom Tooth
As wisdom teeth tend to erupt much later than other teeth, a lack of space or improper tooth alignment can prevent a wisdom tooth from erupting properly, causing it to either partially emerge or remain beneath the gum line or jawbone. Should this occur, it can trap food and bacteria over the years. The inflammation may be chronic, and you may not feel much pain. But hormone changes in the 40s (males and females) may lead to fluctuations in the immune system. This chronic bacterial trap can lead to inflammation of the gum covering (pericoronitis) and lead to gum swelling with noticeable redness.
Gum Disease
Poor dental hygiene can contribute to gum disease. There are usually more bacteria in the mouth when one has gum disease. The bacteria can accumulate over the years around your wisdom teeth (especially since it is so far back) and can lead to a gum abscess or infection at the wisdom tooth site. The longer it is left there, the higher the chance of having bacterial accumulation over the years.
Infection
An impacted tooth may leave gaps where bacteria can thrive over the years, leading to infection. The infection can spread, contributing to pain and other dental symptoms such as swelling, pus and fever.
Tooth Decay
Since they are located at the back of your mouth, wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean. When impacted teeth are involved, it can be more challenging because their partial or full impaction further hinders proper dental hygiene. As plaque builds up between the wisdom tooth and the molar in front, the risk of tooth decay on the tooth in front increases. So sometimes there can also be pain from the molar in front of the wisdom teeth. This can lead to root canal problems on the tooth as well.
Cysts
When buried wisdom teeth are left in place, a fluid-filled sac called a cyst may form around the impacted wisdom tooth. The cyst can grow over time, which may cause pain as it presses on nearby nerves, teeth, and other oral structures. The cyst may also be at risk of infection, leading to further complications and pain
How to Treat Wisdom Tooth Pain
It is usually those with impacted and partially erupted wisdom teeth who may suffer occasional painful flare-ups from the wisdom teeth. If you do experience any pain, discomfort, or symptoms that possibly indicate wisdom tooth pain, seek a professional opinion for immediate dental support. Prompt treatment is essential to reduce the risk of further complications and spread of infection from the impacted wisdom teeth.
The treatment for wisdom teeth pain is to remove the offending tooth. The wisdom tooth extraction may be done with non-surgical or surgical methods.
Non-surgical Extraction
A non-surgical extraction is a minimally invasive procedure typically recommended for the removal of a fully erupted wisdom tooth. First, the dentist will administer a local anaesthetic to the surgical area to ensure your comfort. Once done, they will carefully remove the tooth with dental instruments, loosening it from the surrounding tissues and extracting it from its socket. This procedure is quick and fast, lasting anywhere from 5 min to 30 min.
Surgical Extraction
Impacted wisdom teeth, particularly partially erupted or those embedded in the gums or jawbone, will require surgical extraction. You can choose to undergo local anaesthesia, IV sedation or general anaesthesia. You can discuss your preference when you see our dentists for an initial consultation.
For this procedure, the dentist may use additional techniques to access the tooth, such as removing bone, gum, and other nearby structures that may be blocking access to the impacted wisdom tooth. The dentist will perform the removal carefully to avoid damaging other dental structures. Once removed, the surgical site is cleaned of debris and bacteria before the wisdom tooth site is sutured to facilitate healing.
Handy At-Home Tips for Temporary Wisdom Tooth Pain Relief
Before any extraction, you can adopt several at-home care tips to provide temporary relief from wisdom tooth pain.
Mouthwash
A simple remedy is an antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine. This can quell the swelling temporarily by reducing the bacteria count.
Hot and Cold Packs
Alternating between hot and cold packs may also help with managing wisdom tooth pain. While cold packs may help numb pain and reduce inflammation, hot packs can promote blood flow and relax tense muscles.
Oral Numbing Gels
These items contain the active ingredient benzocaine, which may help to numb any pain or discomfort you might feel in the affected area. You may need to dry the affected area with a clean cloth before applying the gel.
Pain Relief Medications
Over-the-counter painkillers and prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also provide temporary pain relief.
These home tips provide only temporary relief. Please see your dentist as soon as possible. Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat the infection before wisdom tooth removal. Please do not wait for multiple painful episodes before removing your wisdom teeth! Wisdom teeth infections do spread and can affect other teeth in the mouth.
If you would like to know more about wisdom tooth removal, feel free to visit our dental clinic in Singapore, An Dental today to speak to our dedicated dental team.
