Unfortunately, wisdom teeth do not practice the wisdom they preach. In fact, they’re typically more trouble than they’re worth. For starters, the addition of your wisdom teeth to your rows of pearly whites can cramp your mouth too much for them to be kept, but they can also cause problems beneath the surface. But because they’re still below your gum line, impacted wisdom teeth can be hard to detect, so you need to be able to recognize the warning signs.
First, What Are Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth are teeth that cannot fully erupt from the gum line because of a blockage from the other teeth.
What Are the Signs?
Swollen or Bleeding Gums
While it can be difficult to see if your gums are swollen, they will be tender to the touch. If you notice sensitivity or pain when chewing, then it is likely something is causing your gums to swell. You’ll also notice them bleed when too much pressure is applied or when you eat or brush. Irritation and noticeable pain of your gums can be the result of multiple issues in your mouth, but if your wisdom teeth haven’t emerged yet, they could be the cause.
Throbbing Pain
If during your typical day to day activities, you notice a throbbing pain in the back of your mouth that doesn’t go away, you might want to get it checked out. While someone can have a short-lived toothache, ones that persist are likely being caused by something more. The more your wisdom teeth try to emerge and can’t, the more tension there will be under your gums that will cause pain to throb from the back of your mouth, whether it be your gums or your jaw.
Headaches
Headaches on their own may not be cause for concern, but paired with any other symptoms, and it’s possible they’re a result of impacted wisdom teeth. They can cause pain in the joint that connects your jaw to your skull, and the pain can spread to other parts of your head as well.
Chewing Abnormalities
Everyone needs to eat, so if for some reason your jaw won’t open and close as easily as it used to, you might want to get it checked out. You may notice swelling around your jaw or even pain when you try to open and close your mouth, the longer it goes unchecked.
Bad Breath
You’d be surprised how many oral issues include bad breath as a symptom, that isn’t just due to you not brushing your teeth. If you have bad breath that persists or a constant bad taste in your mouth, this could be a result of impacted wisdom teeth or other oral health issues that you might want to be checked out before they worsen.
Swollen Glands
You might think that beyond your jaw, your teeth are unlikely to cause any more issues but that is not the case. Impacted wisdom teeth are often accompanied by swollen glands in the neck and the shoulders like those you experience when you’re sick. Especially if you are experiencing this along with any of the other symptoms, it is definitely a good idea to visit your doctor.
If impacted wisdom teeth go untreated
Numerous other problems can arise in your mouth. Impacted wisdom teeth can lead to infection, cysts and even in some cases, tumors. Regardless, even if your wisdom teeth aren’t impacted, any of these can be signs of other oral health issues like gum disease and tooth decay, all of which need to be treated by a dentist so it is a good idea to make an appointment as soon as possible.
Contact us!
If you want to know more about dental implants, you can reach our Friendly Dental of Worcester office at (508) 791-4000, Unique Dental of Worcester office at (508) 753-5488, Taunton Dental Center office at (508) 822-1281, or Uxbridge Family Dental office at (508) 278-2015.
