Wisdom teeth removal is a common enough procedure, but it may be less understood why they need to be removed. As many as five million people a year have their wisdom teeth removed due to pain, swelling, infection, or other preventative reasons. A wisdom tooth, otherwise known as a third molar, becomes impacted when they don’t have the space, angle, or timing to emerge from the gum when they are supposed to. It’s an easy enough scenario to spot by a dentist when receiving general dental services. While it is a surgical procedure and carries the same standard surgery risks, it is a common and straightforward procedure.
If you or a loved one are suffering a suspected impacted wisdom tooth, schedule an appointment with Wambaugh Dental today by calling 281.501.7849.
Why Do Wisdom Teeth Need Extracting?
Over time, as human diets adjusted, the jaw became less and less developed due to a lack of Vitamin K2. Diets containing K2 are often liver and organ meats as well as the meat of grass-fed animals. Low-fat diets, factory farming, and simple foods for infants led to K2 being removed almost entirely, leading to the stunted growth of the jawbones. This made the third molars, the wisdom teeth, unable to erupt correctly in most cases due to a lack of developed jaws in humans.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are the last adult teeth to come in. There are two on top and two on the bottom, and some come in straight with no complications in a small number of cases. Most have little or no room to develop normally and cause issues for the jaw, remaining teeth, and soft tissues of the mouth. Some of the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth can be subtle or extreme:
- Red or swollen gums
- Tender or bleeding gums
- Pain in the jaw
- Swelling of the jaw
- Bad breath
- Trouble opening the mouth or moving the jaw
Wisdom Teeth Removal
The extraction of the wisdom teeth is a surgical procedure that involves local and sedation anesthesia and, in certain scenarios, general anesthesia, so there will be very little or no memory of the event and as little pain as possible.
The dentist will open the gums to get a visual of the wisdom teeth, moving any bone or tissue obscuring the view and removing the impacted wisdom teeth, whether whole or easier to manage pieces. After removal, the dentist may apply stitches to the open area to assist with healing, but that’s not always necessary.
Dentists may prescribe pain relievers for the days following the procedure, but over-the-counter pain relievers may also work to ease the pain throughout the healing period. During the first twenty-four hours, a patient will most likely be instructed to avoid brushing teeth or rinsing to prevent trauma to the area or movement of bacteria.
Prevention of Symptoms
Much like many dental and oral complications, making an appointment every six months with a dentist for a cleaning is the best way to catch impacted wisdom teeth before they produce painful or unpleasant symptoms. X-rays often accompany cleaning and are likely to catch third molars that may be displaced, unable to emerge, or otherwise need removing.
Any or all of the following symptoms are good reasons to get a dental cleaning and discover if additional problems are present:
- Difficulty swallowing or breathing
- Excessive bleeding (from the socket or in nasal discharge)
- Fever
- Severe pain
- A bad taste in your mouth unrelieved by a saltwater rinse
- Persistent numbness or loss of feeling
Any questions about impacted wisdom teeth should be directed to a dentist who can then decide whether wisdom teeth removal is warranted or can provide a referral to a dental surgeon.
Call Wambaugh Dental For an Exam Today
The professionals at Wambaugh Dental are excited to help reach any and all dental health goals and questions. Call 281.501.7849 to make an appointment today for a biannual cleaning.
