Does an impacted wisdom tooth cause tooth pain? Generally, an impacted tooth will not cause any pain but when it starts to erupt, the gums above it may swell resulting in pain. Extracting an impacted wisdom tooth requires oral surgery. Sometimes your dentist will suggest to have it extracted otherwise it will result in infection or more pain.
Wisdom teeth, also known as your third molars, are the very last set of teeth to erupt. They usually come out between the ages 17 and 25 years old. There are 3 kinds of people – those who never develop wisdom teeth, those who develop wisdom teeth but they erupt normally and don’t cause any problems and then there are those with impacted wisdom teeth.
Unfortunately, people with an impacted wisdom tooth are likely to experience oral problems such as pain, infection or periodontal disease because food can get stuck behind it, tooth decay, and nearby tooth damage.
How do dentists address wisdom teeth? Usually, dentists do not recommend surgery if the patient is asymptomatic but they may suggest surgery to prevent serious long-term complications.
If you have an impacted wisdom tooth and you decide to push through with surgery, here are a few things you can do to hasten the recovery period post-op:
It’s very important that you follow your dentist’s post-op instructions. If you religiously follow the instructions given your recovery time will be shortened.
Oozing of blood from the site 254 hours after the extraction is expected. However, you will be advised to avoid spitting as this could cause the blood clot from the socket to get dislodged. You may replace the gauze on the site as instructed by your dentist.
Pain is also expected after the surgery. To help address the pain, you may take over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol but make sure you follow the dosage on the label. Applying a cold pack on the side of your face where the extraction was done will also help relieve pain.
Don’t worry about the swelling because it will usually subside after 2 to 3 days. The bruising will subside after 5 days.
For a speedy recovery, you should avoid strenuous activities after your surgery. Within 24 hours from the surgery, you are expected to rest. All normal activities should only resume the next day but again, it should not include strenuous tasks to prevent the blood clot from getting dislodged from the socket.
Hydrate and drink plenty of water. However, make sure you don’t drink alcoholic, carbonated and caffeinated beverages in the first 24 hours after surgery. Don’t drink using a straw because sucking on the straw may potentially dislodge the blood clot.
24 hours after the surgery it is advised that you only consume soft foods like applesauce or yogurt. You can eat semisoft foods as tolerated but don’t rush it. As much as possible, steer clear from hard, spicy, hot and chew foods so as not to irritate the extraction site.
After the surgery, you are not allowed to brush your teeth nor rinse your mouth with a mouthwash. You need to wait until after 24 hours have passed. When you already brush, be very gentle especially when you’re cleaning the surgical site. Rinse your mouth using lukewarm salt water every couple of hours and after meals for about 7 days.
Don’t smoke for at least 3 days after the surgery and longer if that’s possible because smoking or even chewing tobacco will delay the healing process and it may also increase your risk of developing complications post-op.
Takeaway
Wisdom tooth extraction has a high success rate as long as you choose a seasoned dentist or oral surgeon to perform it. If, however, you experience difficulty breathing or swallowing or if you develop a fever or experience excessive bleeding, please do call your dentist or oral surgeon ASAP so he or she can check the site and treat it accordingly.