What Should You Do If Your Wisdom Tooth Is Infected
Nearly everyone has their wisdom teeth erupt at some point in their late teens or early-to-mid twenties. They may come out with no problems but other times they may get infected. This can be a problem and necessitate a visit to a Clearwater dentist.
Are you worried that you might have an infected wisdom tooth? We are here to help you by giving you information that you need to know, including the symptoms, causes, and what to do in the case of your having this happen. Read on to learn more.
What Exactly is a Wisdom Tooth?
These teeth were more important in ancient times when people’s diets were much different. They used those wisdom teeth, which appear in the back of the jaw, to chew rougher food. Now that we live in a society where a lot of food is processed or cooked, those teeth are not needed and their appearance can cause a problem.
Why are they called wisdom teeth? The thinking is that they appear at a time when people are no longer children and are on their way to gaining more insights, or wisdom, in their life. But they need to be wise about possible infections otherwise this could lead to worse issues down the road along with a good amount of pain and discomfort.
What Can Happen To Your Wisdom Teeth?
Your wisdom teeth are not made any differently than your regular teeth. That means that they can be susceptible to the same problem as the others – cavities or decay along with chances that they may get impacted or stuck.
The thing is if you have pain in your mouth around where a wisdom tooth is, that is not necessarily an infection. Something else can be happening. So you need to see a dental professional to get a concrete diagnosis.
What Causes Wisdom Teeth Infection?
There are a variety of things that can cause you to get an infected wisdom tooth. One of the main reasons is that the tooth is so far back in your mouth that you can’t reach it with a toothbrush or floss, despite your best efforts. Since you can’t reach it, that will then allow food and bacteria like Streptococcus to accumulate there since they will be trapped. That will open the door to things attacking your enamel and causing a cavity or an infection.
Another issue that you need to worry about is the angle that the tooth grows. It can wind up getting impacted and come in at an angle or completely sideways.
What are Treatment Options For Infection Of The Wisdom Teeth?
The first thing that will happen is your dentist will X-ray your mouth to ensure that it is, indeed, an infected wisdom tooth and not something else. They will also use that X-ray to formulate the best plan of attack.
Once they have determined that it is an infected wisdom tooth, they have to get rid of the infection first. You will probably have to take antibiotics like penicillin or amoxicillin to take care of that issue. You can take over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen, aspirin, or acetaminophen to manage the pain or discomfort.
The antibiotics worked and the tooth is not infected anymore. The dentist still needs to take care of the tooth. They may opt to put a filling in the tooth if it has a cavity and has come in properly. If it is any of the other situations, then it will have to come out. They may take out more than one wisdom tooth to prevent the others from getting infected.
It can be very aggravating to have your wisdom tooth come in and also have to deal with it becoming infected. There are certain things that are out of your control and this is one of them – the wisdom teeth are going to come in however they come in. There is nothing you can do to alter that while they are still lurking under your gum line. It’s just up to you to move quickly when you start feeling the first sign that something is not right.
Wisdom teeth are things that almost everyone has to deal with. Just follow the dentist’s instructions closely, especially if they prescribe you antibiotics to get rid of the infection before they extract the wisdom tooth. Also, pay attention to the directions after that happens, including not smoking or drinking from a straw the first day after that. Then you can quickly resume your life after that.
Are you worried about whether or not you have an infected wisdom tooth? If you live in the Clearwater area, you can come to the Dental ER to have our excellent staff diagnose you and take care of the issue. They will also tell you how to prevent any other tooth infections. Before you know it, you will have a pain-free smile again. Contact us today to make an appointment: 727-449-2424.
Dental Emergency Room
1935 Drew Street,
Clearwater, Florida 33765
Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: 727-449-2424
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