30 August 2021
If you keep problem wisdom teeth, you’re leaving yourself open to a whole bunch of oral and general health problems you can definitely do without.
This is why dentists take out wisdom teeth as a preventive measure as well as to correct issues that have already developed.
Wisdom teeth often fail to emerge properly through the gum line. This can damage adjacent teeth, nerves and jaw bone. These teeth are also more vulnerable to decay because they’re difficult to reach to keep clean with brushing and flossing.
Complications caused by wisdom teeth can also lead to overall health issues. You may get headaches related to bite problems, for example. And if a wisdom tooth becomes infected, inflammation can spread through your body, damaging vital organs.
Most wisdom teeth issues start during the late teens to early 20s. Symptoms that indicate your wisdom may need taking out include:
- Pain or sensitivity in the back of the mouth.
- Inflammation or swelling around the gums.
- Appearance of cysts – fluid-filled sacs.
- Sinus problems.
- Bad breath.
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth.
- Stiff jaw.
- Feeling generally unwell.
Complications that can arise by keeping wisdom teeth include:
- Greater risk of developing cavities, infections or gum disease.
- Orthodontic problems from tooth crowding.
If you’re lucky, you may not need to have wisdom teeth pulled out – if they’re fully emerged through the gum, positioned properly with a good bite function, and showing no signs of decay or infection.
However, even if your wisdom teeth are causing no immediate problems, they may well do so later, when extraction can be more difficult.
Ignoring bothersome wisdom teeth can result in lasting oral problems that can also damage your overall health.
Dentists advise prompt extraction of wisdom teeth to avoid further issues – usually from the ages of 18 to the early 20s.
When we’re younger, the roots of our wisdom teeth are less developed and bone is less dense, which makes extraction easier. As we get older, it can also take longer to heal and recover from wisdom teeth removal.
Extraction of wisdom teeth sooner rather than later means the teeth can be extracted more easily and safely, with minimal damage to surrounding tissue. It also lessens the risk of wisdom teeth complications that can sometimes become an emergency situation.
Wisdom teeth removal is a surgical procedure typically performed with IV (intravenous) sedation and/or local anaesthetic.
Recovery time after extraction can take a couple of weeks, depending on the complexity of the procedure, the type of anaesthesia used, and how much damage the problem has caused to the rest of the mouth.
Wisdom Teeth Sydney can help you decide whether your wisdom teeth need to come out. If extraction is advisable, as specialists in stress-free wisdom teeth removal they’ll explain the entire process to put you at ease.