Waterpik Ultra Dental Water Jet
by Waterpik
(965)

Buy new: $59.99 $49.99
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Your Wisdom Teeth

Also known as the third set of molars, the wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth in the mouth to erupt, which normally happens around the ages of 17 – 25. For many years, there has been a lot of controversy as to the need to remove these teeth.  If the teeth don’t cause any harm or pain, they are normally fine to stay in place.  If they present a bad position or cause you a lot of pain or discomfort, they will need to be removed.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

When the wisdom teeth first come in, they will sometimes be impacted.  Impacted teeth will normally need to be extracted.  Sometimes they can be pulled, although in most cases they need to be cut out by a qualified surgeon.  When the time comes to have your wisdom teeth extracted, you’ll need to go to an oral surgeon and have a consultation first.

Getting X-Rays Of Your Wisdom Teeth

During the consultation, you’ll take a few x-rays that will let the surgeon know how bad your wisdom teeth are.  He will go over the results with you, take a look in your mouth, then tell you what options you have.  If he is going to pull or cut out your teeth, you’ll have the option of using local anaesthesia or going with an IV sedation.  An IV sedation is the preferred way to have wisdom teeth extracted, as you’ll be so relaxed you won’t know what is going on.  If you decide to just use local anaesthesia, which is numbing, you’ll be fully aware of the procedure.  You’ll also hear the popping and cracking involved, which can make you feel quite uncomfortable.

How Difficult Is It To Remove Wisdom Teeth?

Depending on the shape, size, and the formation of the wisdom teeth, the removal process can vary from easy to hard.  If the root tips have managed to wrap themselves around the bone, the removal process can be very time consuming and quite painful.  Once the extractions have been completed, there is normally little to no swelling involved.  Your dentist will prescribe you some pain medicine, which you should use as soon as you arrive home.  If you are going to use IV sedation, you’ll need to someone to accompany you, as you won’t be able to drive home.

What To Expect After Your Wisdom Teeth Are Removed

After the removal of your wisdom teeth, your dentist will go over what you need to do to ensure the proper healing of your gums and mouth.  Normally, he will give you information to go over, to make sure that you experience no problems in the healing process.  Someone will need to be with you for the first 24 hours, to make sure that you ok.  You won’t be able to eat certain foods for the first 48 hours, which is to be expected.  Once you get your wisdom teeth removed through – you’ll notice a big improvement in your mouth – and your health.

An Abscess In The Tooth Is An Infection.

An abscess in the tooth refers to an infection that was caused by a pocket of pus residing in the tissue around the tooth. Abscesses are very serious conditions, and can lead to serious matters if they aren’t treated immediately.  When the pulp of a tooth dies due to damage or decay, bacteria will begin to grow from the dead tissue that is left.  This bacteria will eventually spread from the root of the dead tooth into the tissue that is below and create a pocket of pus – the abscess.

Causes For A Tooth To Become Abscessed

Gum diseases causes the gums to pull back and away from teeth, leaving pockets behind.  When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up.  When this happens, an abscess will start to form under the surface of the gums and become apparent will swelling as it gets bigger and spreads.

Once the infection has started to spread, your jawbone may start to dissolve as it makes room for the swelling in the area that has been infected.  Once the bone starts to dissolve, the pressure will be greatly reduced, although the infection will still be there.  Even though you will get relief, the infection will get worse – and the pain will always come back.  Once more of the bone has been dissolved, there will be nothing left to support the tooth, meaning that it will become loose and end up needing to be extracted.

Symptoms of an Abscessed Tooth

The symptoms of an abscessed tooth are easy to see, as they include severe pain in the affected area, red or swollen gums, a bad taste in your mouth, swelling around the area or the jaw, and possibly a high fever.  Pain is excruciating with an abscess, normally affecting the area in a bad way.  No matter what you do, the pain seems to intensify.

Abscesses mostly occur with back teeth, although they can happen in the front as well.  Once your tooth has become abscessed, your dentist won’t immediately pull it.  If a tooth that has abscessed is extracted once the infection is still present, it can quickly spread.  Your dentist will instead prescribe you some antibiotics that can help to destroy the bacteria.

Pull The Tooth?  Or Get A Root Canal?

The dentist can also perform a root canal, in an attempt to remove dead or decayed tissue.  Last but not least, he can also drill a hole in the tooth to give the infection a chance to drain and try to remove any dead pulp.  The most common treatment with an abscess is to use antibiotics to kill the infection, then get the tooth removed.  You should never let it get that bad – as an abscess is something that can destroy your jawbone.