Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Deep in the back of your mouth are your third molars, more commonly known as your wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth can often be a source of pain and discomfort when they start to appear and those troublesome wisdom teeth are referred to as impacted wisdom teeth. Not everybody struggles with impacted wisdom teeth but many experts suggest that they should be removed before they present any problems. It’s not always apparent that you are have impacted wisdom teeth because symptoms are not always present, which makes routine visits to your dentist even more important. Below is a list of symptoms to keep an eye out for and if you are experiencing any of these signs make sure to meet with your dentist as soon as possible.
Symptoms:
- Swelling around the jaw
- Bad taste in mouth
- Tender or bleeding gums
- Bad breath
- Headaches
- Difficulty chewing
In some cases you might not experience any symptoms but still have impacted wisdom teeth. There are varying degrees of impacted wisdom teeth: some are partially impacted with just the crown showing, while others never break through the gums and become fully impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth are a serious problem and can cause a lot of complications. The presence of impacted wisdom teeth cause bleeding of the gums and mild to severe pain, but if left untreated they can cause much more serious problems and will result in oral surgery.
Complications
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- Damage to other teeth
- Development of cysts
If you start to experience any pain or see that you are having any of the symptoms, be sure to make an appointment with your dentist and have it checked out immediately. Even if you’re not experiencing any pain or discomfort, it is still important to have regular check-ups with your dentist to ensure good oral health.