According to research, 10 million wisdom teeth are extracted every year.
Wisdom teeth can be a real pain, both literally and figuratively. Most people experience some level of pain as their wisdom teeth start to come in, but for some people, the pain is so bad it’s hard to ignore.
Ignoring the early warning signs of impacted wisdom teeth can lead to bigger problems down the road.
Want to know what the symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth are? Keep reading to learn the signs of impacted wisdom teeth that are dangerous to ignore.
Wisdom Teeth Pain
This type of pain can appear suddenly or slowly over time, depending on how severely impacted your wisdom teeth are. There are different types of wisdom tooth pain, including the following:
Mild Pain
This happens when the gums around your teeth have become swollen and irritated. This can be prevented by brushing twice a day with a soft brush and flossing at least once a day.
Make sure you use proper brushing and flossing techniques to avoid making things worse.
Moderate Pain
This is when there is a lot of food debris on your teeth and it is causing pain. The pain can be managed by using an antiseptic mouthwash and a warm salt water rinse to help soothe swollen gums.
Sharp Tooth Pain
This is typically due to impacted wisdom teeth pushing against each other while they try to break through your gums. The increased pressure can cause sharp pain that may shoot into your jaw or neck.
Severe Tooth Pain
This occurs when the gums around your wisdom teeth have become inflamed. This can be caused by a buildup of pus between the wisdom teeth and gums, which leads to more pain every time you eat.
Swollen Gums
If your gums swell up, it is a good sign that an impacted wisdom tooth is trying to push through your gum line into your mouth. The swelling isn’t always noticeable but typically gets worse as time goes on.
If you notice swelling around one or more of your wisdom teeth, you should go see a doctor. This is often one of the first signs that you need impacted wisdom teeth removal.
Bad Breath
Bad breath, or halitosis, can be a sign that impacted wisdom teeth are beginning to cause issues with your gums. When food debris and bacteria start building up, it can lead to bad breath.
Even though bad breath caused by impacted wisdom teeth has a strong source of rotting food debris, it can be treated and prevented with some simple steps:
- Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day
- Use mouthwash that targets germs
- Floss once per day or more
- Cut back on the amount of sugar you consume
- Drink less alcohol
Also, don’t forget to get regular cleanings from your dentist to remove bacteria build-up in between teeth and below the gum line, and stop smoking.
Difficulty and Painful Chewing
If you’re experiencing pain in your teeth, the food you eat will start to taste weird. This is because when you’re in pain, it’s difficult to chew.
The less you chew, the weaker your jaw muscles get. Eventually, this will make it hard for you to eat even soft foods.
At this point, some people choose to stop chewing altogether and start to drink mostly soft foods. This is typically due to the fact that it’s simply too painful to chew on anything else.
Constant Jaw Pain
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to come in. They usually come out on their own after a couple of days, but sometimes they can get delayed.
When this happens, the tooth can push its way through your gum, and it will hurt. If you’re suffering from constant jaw pain, you may need wisdom teeth removal.
You should talk to your doctor immediately about wisdom teeth removal surgery.
Ear Pain
Ear pain is a fairly uncommon symptom of impacted wisdom teeth, but it does happen from time to time. This happens when your jaw pain has been going on for so long that you notice pressure or pain around your ear.
Swollen Glands in Shoulder and Neck Area
Another possible early warning sign of an infection is swollen glands in the jaw and neck areas. These glands, called the parotid gland or Stensen’s duct gland, can become inflamed due to impacted teeth.
When your immune system detects that there is damage to be repaired somewhere inside of your mouth, it releases an inflammatory chemical called histamine to help speed up the process of repairing the damage.
When the immune system is doing its job, there isn’t really anything you can do about it.
However, if your glands are swollen and painful when they usually aren’t (especially in the neck), this could be a sign that something bad is going on in your mouth.
Do You Have One of These Signs of Impacted Wisdom Teeth?
Never underestimate any early warning signs of impacted wisdom teeth. Putting off treatment can lead to further complications over time.
If you experience any of these problems, it is best to have your dentist take a look for any signs of early impactions that may be an underlying cause.
Prevention is always key when it comes to oral health, so take care of your teeth before they start causing you pain!
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