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Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a Temple Square Dental dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Temple Square Dental to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at Temple Square Dental if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your Temple Square Dental dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at Temple Square Dental as soon as possible.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01296 434848.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Temple Square Dental. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

1124 Reviews

5.0

31st January 2025

Everyone is so friendly and caring. They put you at ease. They are helpful and explain everything well.

31st January 2025

Staff are always friendly and helpful. I have been visiting Prab my dentist for years now so I have a trust in her and know that I am in safe hands when I come to the dentist.

30th January 2025

Friendly welcoming atmosphere. Secure in the knowledge of the skill and expertise of the dentist.

30th January 2025

The efficiency and care of the reception staff and the care taken by the dentist Raj and his assistant . They did everything to make me feel relaxed and comfortable.

29th January 2025

Friendly and efficient staff. Everything was well explained regarding my treatment

24th January 2025

Have been with surgery 49Years and never had a bad experience always had amazing treatment

22nd January 2025

Professional, friendly and helpful

22nd January 2025

Always a good experience all round

17th January 2025

Quality of work done, confident friendliness of everyone, ease of making arrangements, pleasant environment.

16th January 2025

Great clinicians and dental nurses - very friendly and happy to have a chat and answer questions. I was seen quickly and had no problem scheduling an appointment online.

14th January 2025

Lice was fantastic. Explained everything and checked my comfort all the time

14th January 2025

Very understanding, good dentist, careful and tells what she is doing so you know what is going on with your treatment as l am a 90 year old l feel quite happy to go to her for treatment

9th January 2025

Very friendly and professional service

9th January 2025

Clinical care is excellent, appointments run on time, staff are friendly, human and engage with you as a human being. My treatment was thorough but delivered with care.

9th January 2025

I have been a patient at this dental surgery for 48 years and have always been highly satisfied with the treatment I have received and the helpful, friendly and respectful attitude of all the staff.

8th January 2025

The clinician was friendly and professional and I was very satisfied with the results of my treatment

8th January 2025

Friendly and professional staff, practice is clean and hygienic. Book process is simple to complete and gave a number of appointments to choose from.

7th January 2025

They made me feel at ease as I was scared

5th January 2025

My filling from one tooth fell out just before New Year,thank you for seeing me so quickly and saving my tooth, really appreciate it!

5th January 2025

The kindness of the staff as I had problems with climbing the stairs.

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