Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth removal becomes necessary when you feel severe pain or any discomfort with them. To know more about its importance, removal procedures and recovery, please read carefully.
Wisdom teeth or the other way called as the third molars are actually important one. And the extraction of wisdom tooth would be normally removed by medical procedures. In general, they grow at the back of the gums where the last teeth come. Most of the people commonly would have four in numbers in which one on each corner.
Wisdom teeth naturally root out in the later teens or early twenties. By the time when wisdom tooth roots out, the other set of the adult tooth of 28 numbers would be there in place leaving enough space for the wisdom tooth in the mouth area for proper growth. Sometimes because of lack of enough room, wisdom tooth emerge at a different angle or sometimes get stuck with half emerge. Hence, there required wisdom teeth removal.
Time to visit dentist
When you feel severe pain or any discomfort in regard to the wisdom tooth then it is time to visit your dentist. And even after 15 days from wisdom tooth removal, if there is any pain or uneasiness, you must go to the doctor again to avoid complications. On the suggestion for wisdom tooth removal, doctors generally go for X-ray initially to have a clear figure on the tooth’s position.
Why is Removal of Wisdom Teeth Important?
We all know when do babies start teething but we also need to know the importance of wisdom teeth and its removal. If at all there is no impact with many problems, there is no need to extract. But sometimes when wisdom tooth roots out with partially opened gums cause severe dental pain. Foods that one intake might get trapped around the edges, bacteria have enough space to spread a lot, which in then finally lead to plaque formation. The other complications are off:
Tooth decay: When plaque develops, tooth decay takes place which will break down the tooth surface along with the roots. Gums will get damaged, which form holes paving the way for cavity formation.
Periodontal disease: Periodontal disease is otherwise known as gingivitis or the gum disease. When plaque formed to a severe condition, it oozes out toxins that irritate the gums, reddish & swollen gums causing very painful. Such gum disease might also affect wisdom tooth and its bone area.
Pericoronitis: When there is plaque formation, it affects the soft tissue around the teething area.
Cellulitis: Bacterial infection in the tongue, mouth area and throat parts.
Abscess: When wisdom tooth roots out to the severe condition, and if pus collects around the gums because of bacterial infection, the disease called as Abscess comes.
Cysts: The benign growth happens very rare when the wisdom tooth cuts out the gum by forming a cyst – which is of fluid filled swollen kind.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
Most of the above-discussed issues can be treated with antibiotics and antiseptic medicines such as mouthwash, gels etc. Hence on such condition, wisdom tooth removal is recommended. When does a baby starts teething, parents must take care of them very carefully wherein they feel intolerable and untold pain?
The removal of wisdom tooth is carried out by dental surgeon beginning with anaesthetic injection. Local anaesthesia is given to numb the area around the wisdom tooth. You might feel slight pressure just before the doctor begins the procedure by widening the mouth leaving space to work around.
Initially, he will rock the tooth socket front & back slightly and in some cases a small cut might be required on the gum wherein the tooth might be cut into small pieces. The process might require some 15 minutes and for the severe condition, it might take some 45 minutes. Sometimes it takes an hour for wisdom tooth extraction, wherein the gums would be placed back and the stitches would be dissolved automatically in a time of two weeks.
Be sure to be patient for at a minimum of 3 to 4 days after surgery removal, and don’t do heavy brushing (can do gentle finger brushing). While the tooth is extracted, the roots would leave a socket in the root’s bone wherein the hole in the gum would be there lasting for some 70 to 90 days.
And it varies with some conditions, which takes place some few minutes to remove and in the case of difficult conditions the tooth needs to be cut into pieces actually. The swelling also will be there for some 7 days with pain, if at all anaesthesia hadn’t given. And be sure while in the taking of heavy food items and so dentists recommend to go for gentle & soft foods for 10 days nearly. You can also see a cavity formation in the place of tooth removed and it might be filled automatically in 1 or 2 months once the new tissues grow. Going with soft diet will help you in avoiding pain, a combination of ibuprofen or paracetamol will settle the jaw’s pain.
Complications
There are risks at times associated with wisdom teeth removal that includes infection, prolonging healing and which is very important is that of one must quit smoking while in the period of recovery. There also another set of risks of nerve damage, which lead to numbness in the gums, tongue, teeth roots and in inner chin part. Though it might be lasting temporary, yet they are risks while considering the patients. Hence, keep following the dentist’s advice is highly recommended.
After Surgery Procedures
Post wisdom teeth removal, the dentist surgeon will place the gauze on the extraction point, and will ask you to give pressure over it for some time to control the bleeding. One should understood that blood clotting is one of the important healing processes, hence, make sure not to extricate them.
For 24 hours, the patients are not allowed to rinse the mouth with water or with any other liquid, must not drink any hot liquids such as coffee, tea, NO alcohol, NO smoking, and no any strains of physical activities.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery
It can take up to two weeks to fully recover after having your wisdom teeth removed. During this time, you may experience any of the following for a week:
Inflammation: You might have swollen cheeks and swollen mouth first few days. You can try soothing the swollen part by cold cloth press, wherein you would feel improvement gradually.
Sore jaw: You might have stiff or sore jaw for a week time, in which the skin area around the jaw part got bruised for 2 weeks’ time. You can try giving warm press.
Zero taste: Absolutely, you can’t feel any of the six tastes wherein your taste buds can’t help you out when you are in numb feel.
Numbness: You might have tingling like feel or numbness all over the face, in which it will be there for some hours only.
Pain: Absolutely, there will be a hell lot of pain, for that only local anaesthesia is being given to help out. So try avoiding heavy & stiff foods.
In the case of, heavy pain with uncontrolled bleeding just goes to your dental surgeon right away.
Self-care:
To settle the pain and to recover soon from such sarcastic pain, you can help yourself by following the below appending bulletins:
- Use painkillers without fail as prescribed by the dental surgeon
- Use extra pillow to raise the head level while sleeping
- Avoid spitting, rinsing, and chewing at least for 4 hours
- Take soft foodstuffs for few weeks in order to soothe the tooth socket
- Try gentle rinse after 24 hours by using antiseptic mouthwash
Interesting Facts About Wisdom Teeth
Have you ever thought that why it is called as wisdom tooth? Since the Seventeenth century, the third molars are called by the name as “tooth of wisdom” and from Nineteenth century it is called as “wisdom tooth”. The third molars generally start root out in the age between 17 and 25 where when the human achieves the adulthood. As the person reaches his/her adulthood, hence the wisdom – knowledge level matures up, also in which those third molars come in that age as well.
In addition, science adds some more credence to the idea of the linguists that the third molars do actually erupt when the person becomes “wiser”. But as per the research report, the study shows that human’s brain keep growing and developing through teenage years, on the other side there is one another statement that the brain does not achieve maturity until the age of 17. But while considering the wisdom teeth removal pain, the children till the age of 17 are very younger to bear it, wherein the teenagers are slightly matured to bear hold the pain. It can be said rightly as nature’s calculation!
Frequently Asked Questions About Wisdom Tooth
Appending below are few of the FAQs to educate you on wisdom tooth and about extraction.
- Who do they have to remove?
Research shows that about 90% of people have impacted wisdom tooth (no enough space for proper wisdom tooth rooting) causing gum infection, irritation, crowding, pain and decaying of another tooth. Hence, wisdom tooth extraction is required by cleaning normally to be there for a lifetime without any infection.
- What is the sign & symptom that wisdom tooth to be removed?
When there is severe pain, pressure, infection, inflammation just visits a dentist with regular check-ups and x rays to come to a conclusion on whether it is to be removed or not.
- What is the right age for wisdom tooth extraction?
The common age where the wisdom tooth roots out is between 17 and 25. The right time to remove the wisdom tooth is that when you see 1/2 or 2/3 percent of development at any age between 17 and 25. However even after that, when the patient gets complications because of wisdom tooth, age will not be a barrier for extraction.
- How is wisdom tooth removed?
Initially, the patient will be given a local anaesthesia or IV sedation for memory free, painless and to numb the gums. An incision will be made then to rock the gums to expose and extract the wisdom tooth. Sometimes it will be extracted in one whole piece and sometimes into 2 halves that to reduce the risk of much pain. On rare times, it is made into small pieces for easy removal, and once after the extraction is done gums are closed with sutures for quick healing.
- Is the wisdom teeth removal procedure painful?
Extraction process or the surgery followed by either IV sedation or local anaesthesia is actually for painless treatment. However, there will be soreness and slight pain during the healing process.
- What is the healing time period?
Though soreness and swelling will be there for 15 days, ice pack pressure and prescription medicines will help hands on to cure. However incomplete 3 weeks of the time period, soreness will be settled down gradually and gums will be closed too.
Wisdom tooth – Some Myths and Facts
Myth: Wisdom tooth must be extracted.
Fact: It is not always that wisdom tooth to be removed however it depends on the dental condition. If there is healthy root out and proper alignment of wisdom tooth root, there is no worry about the extraction.
Myth: Ice creams and milkshakes are smoother after extraction.
Fact: This is acceptable one in which ice creams and milkshakes soothe the swelling and the pain after extraction. Because they are easy to digest and don’t use straws where while sucking, the clots might get dislodged after the surgery.
Wisdom Teeth Removal Aftercare
Initial hours: Sit down firmly with the gauze pieces that are placed on the surgical areas, make sure they remain in place. Don’t displace them for the first hour till the bleeding is controlled. You can remove the gauze pieces after some 2 hours, and still there is active bleeding, you can place new gauze pieces to get pressure over the surgical site for other 30 minutes. The gauze can then be changed as required (typically every 30 to 45 minutes). It is advisable to wet the gauze with plain water and loosely fluff for more comfortable positioning.
Exercise: Don’t disturb the surgical part on the first day. Don’t rinse off, no spitting out, and no drinking of liquor and smoking. After some 4 hours, you can try gentle brushing. Wherein smoking will impede healing, and cause increased uneasiness and lead to having dry sockets. Dentists strongly reject smoking during the healing stage.
Oral Hygiene: It is very important to keep the mouth clean with regular brushing & flossing. You must brush your teeth for two times, and also on the night of surgery, but make sure to be very gentle around the surgical sites. If you find minimal bleeding, you can try salt water rinses after 24 hours from the time of surgery. Salt water rinse is that mixing 1 tablespoon of salt with 8 ounces of water. Do gentle swish, and do google 2 to 3 times per day. For best result, do after every meal.
Back to work: Activities after surgery should be express or bed rest for the first day. Don’t do activities such as bending, lifting, or any other vigorous activity in which they will result in increased bleeding, swelling and pain. So you must be careful while going down for lying position and don’t lift the head suddenly. Don’t practice exercises if you are a regular exerciser, take plain fluids and cut down heavy calories. It is best to avoid doing exercises for a week normally. Why because, exercise after surgery will result in increased bleeding, swelling and discomfort.
Oozing: However bleeding will be there after surgery, oozing is not a common symptom for all. But keep watch for 24 to 48 hours and be sure those oral bleeding terms to slight bleeding with a lot of saliva secretion. Place the gauze piece over the surgical part and bite firmly to control the bleeding. If there is persistent bleeding, you can replace the gauze piece for every 40 minutes.
Bleeding: Make sure there must not be severe bleeding. If so, then you might have been removed the gauze piece clenched between the teeth but not with applying pressure. Just try re-positioning the gauze pieces, avoiding physical activity, use ice packs even. And still there is bleeding, just call the doctor.
Swelling: It will be there as a normal incidence after surgery and will not reach to maximum days of more 3 after surgery. Try following the procedures discussed above – as ice pack pressure, cold pack pressure or a bag of frozen peas; just give gentle pressure all over the swollen areas. Just doing these once in every 30 minutes for complete 24 hours after surgery. Don’t forget consuming of prescription medicines if any.
Diet: You can eat any healthful food that can be taken with comfort and that are of soft. Don’t take hot and stiff foods. Do not use a straw wherein while sucking the tooth socket will get dislodged. It is advisable to take liquid foods for first few days after surgery, say for lukewarm milk, soups, porridges, gruels, milkshakes, yogurt et al. Don’t take any food that requires nice chewing and also avoids eatables such as nuts, seeds, rice, wheat popcorn, et al. wherein they will get stuck in the socket area of the surgical area. But be sure not to skip meals, but take healthy & soft foods, wherein now you are in need of healthy & stamina hence there was quite an amount of blood loss. So gain strength and also on the other side, you have to heal soon. So just follow the instructions given by your dental surgeon.
Do’s and Don’ts’s for next few days from the day of wisdom teeth removal
Mouth rinses: As per dentists’ recommendation, that keeping the mouth clean is good for general health. And especially after surgery, it is must to keep the mouth clean with antibiotic mouthwashes. Take a ¼ tablespoon of salt with 8 ounces of plain water, stir the solution and do gentle mouth rinse. Repeat the process and complete the solution and regularise it nearly 2 to 3 times per day.
Brushing: You can start doing your regular brushing after a week from the day of surgery. However, soreness & swelling will be there, and so don’t do vigorous brushing, use soft brushes, take dentist’s advice if at all you have to use any medicated toothpaste. Otherwise, you can go with your regular branded toothpaste. Just maintaining a tidy environment inside the mouth gives faster healing.
Healing: Generally it takes 2 weeks for complete healing. Anyways be quite for first 5 days. When you notice that the swelling gets down gradually, then it is the sign that is returning back to normal. Be sure whether you still have numbness or not, also see to that your tongue shows you the tastes rightly.
Bruising: If at all you notice any discoloration, say for yellowish, brownish and on rare cases blackish because of tissue bruises, you can wait for 2 to 3 days where those are post operation effect. However still bruising is there after 3 days, just call your dentist right away to see to it.
Sharp Edges: When you feel anything sharp in the surgical area, it could be your feel of the bony walls. On rare conditions, tiny slivers of bone which support the extracted tooth might work themselves during the healing process. Don’t be panic, just open it your doctor.
In addition to the above symptoms, feeling dry lips, sore throat, stiff jaw and numbness around the muscle areas are commonly occurring signs where all will vanish once the process of healing executed rightly. Anyhow, as per the maxim prevention is better than cure; just keep your mouth area clean and tidy. Repeatedly telling, regular & twice a day brushing & flossing help you a lot in good oral hygiene. You might have been heard weird and scary stories on wisdom tooth removal, hopefully hereafter you might face it boldly.