You will experience sore, tender jaws and acute pain around the cheeks when your wisdom tooth is about to erupt. Sometimes, this situation lingers on even after regular medications, sometimes indicating a wisdom tooth infection.
From its signs and symptoms to options you can consider to treat the infected wisdom tooth, we will discuss them in detail.
What Are Wisdom Teeth?
The Australian Dental Association describes wisdom teeth as ‘the third molars and last set of teeth, which appear in teenage or early adulthood around 18 to 24 years in age.’
Considering they are last to emerge in the mouth, wisdom teeth sometimes don’t find enough space to grow, resulting in their deviation from the natural path of eruption, which can cause issues in the short/long term. You can arrange a consultation with your dentist if you observe an early-stage wisdom tooth infection to help avoid further complications.
Causes of Wisdom Tooth Infection
From excessive bacterial growth in your gums to swelling or partial eruption, wisdom tooth infection has many causes. The major ones include:
1. Impaction
Most young adults in Australia have one or more impacted third molars, which is a common wisdom tooth problem. It occurs when there isn’t sufficient room for the proper eruption of wisdom teeth. The situation often leads to dental crowding, where the neighbouring teeth usually misalign or twist, causing inflammation in the gums around the third molars.
2. Extraction Surgery
People undergo wisdom tooth extraction surgery as a permanent cure for the pain, but post-surgery complications can often cause infection. Constant pain 3–7 days after surgery, bad breath, fever, or other symptoms indicate the need for an immediate dental check-up to avoid further difficulties.
Please remember the following aftercare tips to avoid the chances of wisdom teeth removal infection.
- Gently rinse your mouth with salt water twice or thrice a day
- Don’t touch or apply pressure on the affected area
- Limit your daily activities for a few days
- Take a healthy and soft diet
- Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol
3. Bacteria
Gums with poor hygiene or foreign trapped particles are home to multiple bacterial strains, such as Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Atopobium, and many others. These bacteria yield infection in the wisdom tooth, which spreads to the surrounding areas if the condition exaggerates and bacteria grow in excess.
Partly erupted or skewed wisdom teeth also stimulate bacterial infection due to higher chances of decay. Taking care of oral hygiene is the only way to fight against these microbes and ward off the situation beforehand.
4. Cavity
More than 80% of residents in Queensland, Australia, have encountered tooth decay that ultimately forms tooth cavities. With wisdom teeth, this problem is even more common as they are present at the far end of the mouth. Due to this position, it becomes challenging to maintain their hygiene, making them vulnerable to cavities and infection over time.
5. Pericoronitis
The inflammation of gum tissue around the wisdom teeth leads to an infection called pericoronitis. It affects the flap of gum tissues, which traps debris or food particles, ultimately causing severe discomfort around the neck or throat. To address this issue, dentists sometimes recommend a wisdom tooth extraction.
6. Dry Socket
The dry socket appears in almost 1 to 5% of all tooth extractions except for wisdom tooth removal, where the chances of occurrence rise to about 38%. It only happens when the blood clot dissolves, exposing your gum tissue to food or debris. You can expect the condition within one to four days after the surgery, with a recovery time lasting nearly a week to two weeks.
7. Cysts
A Cyst is another presentation of wisdom tooth infection, resulting from impaction or bacterial growth. It’s a fluid-filled sac around the affected area and can even weaken the surrounding teeth in some cases.
An untreated wisdom tooth infection can make its way toward your jaw, throat, or respiratory tract and cause serious health concerns. This is why dentists resort to removing the wisdom tooth after observing these early signs of infection.
Wisdom Tooth Infection Symptoms
In Australia alone, around 40% of emergency dental visits are due to poor dental conditions, with wisdom teeth infections being the most prevalent in young adults. Many underlying symptoms indicate this infection, emphasising that your wisdom teeth need immediate dental treatment.
Some major ones are as follows:
- Severe pain around the jaw
- Discomfort extending to the side of the affected area, like ears, temples, or throat
- Constant bad breath
- A foul taste in the mouth
- Fever or chills
- Swelling in the lymph glands
- Painful and inflamed gums
- Difficulty swallowing or chewing food
- Bleeding gums
There’s a high probability that you will recover from the infection within a week through proper care, but we recommend a thorough dental check-up if the above symptoms present.
Wisdom Tooth Infection Treatment
Depending on the intensity of the infection, dentists opt for different methods to treat the infected wisdom tooth. Some of the options may include:
- Prescribed use of antibiotics
- Strict dental hygiene, such as antiseptic mouthwash or regular flossing
- Wisdom tooth extraction surgery
- Gum removal surgery
- Painkillers or anti-inflammatory medications
- Fillings or crowns to fill in the cavity
1. Medications
The medications mainly include erythromycin, amoxicillin, penicillin, aspirin and clindamycin. Dentists recommend medications at early stages of infection or only when the condition is mild enough to heal on its own within a short period. Otherwise, removing the wisdom tooth is generally the second option that is explored.
2. Root Canal
With root canal treatment, dentists remove the decayed or infected pulp (nerve) from inside your tooth, followed by a permanent filling to close the site of infection. While it helps restore the wisdom tooth, many patients find it more cumbersome to deal with as it requires a longer procedure time and may need multiple visits. However, most dentists do offer this alternative to prevent extraction.
3. Surgery
The dentist gives you an anesthetic before beginning the procedure. Sometimes, pulling out the entire wisdom tooth is risky, so we often divide it into pieces before removal. However, it is crucial to follow specific guidelines post-surgery to manage dental infections and avoid the side-effects, such as:
- Swollen gums
- Bleeding
- Intense pain extending to the ears and throat
- Difficulty chewing food
- Fever or weakness
4. Operculectomy
The partial eruption of a wisdom tooth develops a flap of gum tissue, which is the operculum. This flap often causes pericoronitis, a painful condition bringing in the wisdom tooth infection in most cases. To treat this, dentists perform an operculectomy, removing the flap of gum over the affected tooth area.
Wisdom Tooth Infection Home Remedies
If the pain is bearable, then some home remedies may prove beneficial for quick relief, or they may also provide temporary comfort to cure drastic levels of pain. Read below to find out!
1. Saltwater
Add one spoonful of salt to warm water and swish it around your teeth for 10 to 15 minutes to kill harmful bacteria and reduce pain or inflammation.
2. Clove Oil
Dip a cotton into clove oil and dab it around the affected area. The antibacterial properties of the oil will help lower the pain levels, speeding up the recovery process.
3. Garlic Clove
Peel off a single clove of garlic and gently chew it with the help of the affected tooth. The allicin in garlic can play a significant role in reducing the pain if it is due to bacterial growth.
4. Ice Compress
To treat excess swelling around the gums, pack a cube of ice in a cloth and massage it over the affected part. It will temporarily heal your pain and subside swelling.
5. Turmeric
Make a thick turmeric paste with water and apply it to the affected tooth. You can also add a single spoon of turmeric to lukewarm water and use it to rinse your mouth.
Risks and Complications
Untreated wisdom tooth infection breeds the chances of many other complications that can worsen over time. A few of them look like this:
- Higher sensitivity in gums
- Pus build up around the area of infection
- Inflammation due to oral cysts
- Sepsis
- Increased tooth decay
How to Prevent Wisdom Tooth Infection
Having wisdom teeth makes you vulnerable to wisdom tooth infection. So, it’s better to take precautionary measures to avoid the worst-case scenario. Here are a few tips you can follow in this regard.
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Avoid soft drinks or excess sugar intake
- Floss your teeth regularly
- Resort to oil pulling once a week
- Visit a dentist every six months
Wisdom Tooth Removal in Brisbane
Wisdom tooth removal costs in Brisbane vary and are based on the severity of the infection and the complexity of the removal.
In Australia, Medicare does not cover dental. The average cost per wisdom tooth is between $275 and $830 (including anesthesia). However, for initial consultations or x-rays, the dentists might charge an extra fee. It is better to consult your dentist if the pain lasts for more than a week.
Contact Sleep Dentistry Brisbane for Experienced Dental Care
Do you have a high dental phobia or other unique needs interfering with your oral health routine? Don’t worry any longer, as Sleep Dentistry Brisbane has covered you.
It offers you an all-inclusive service and helps you get the dental care you deserve. From 24-hour emergency wisdom tooth removal or post to pre-surgery consultations, we are dedicated to providing stress-free, pain-free dental care, all within an affordable budget.
Book a dental appointment with us if you are in Brisbane or the surrounding communities of Glod Coast, Springwood, Bayside, Logan, or Ipswich. Dr. Asad and his team will ensure that you attain optimal dental health while addressing your individual needs.
In case of more queries, visit the sedation dentist near you or talk to our team at 07-3154-0626, or simply connect with us online at http://www.sleepdentistrybrisbane.greatmedicalwebsites.com/.
Wisdom Tooth Infection Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the first signs of wisdom teeth coming in?
Severe pain or discomfort at the back of your mouth is one of the primary indications that your wisdom teeth are coming in. Other signs may include tender or swollen gums, difficulty speaking or keeping your mouth open, and bleeding (in rare cases).
Will a wisdom tooth infection heal on its own?
Whether or not a wisdom tooth infection heals on its own depends on its severity. Sometimes, if the condition is mild or the pain lasts 1-2 days maximum, it will go away with proper hygiene and a soft diet. However, if your symptoms prolong to 3-4 days or you experience signs, such as fever or swollen lymph nodes, it is recommended to see a dental health expert.
How can you treat wisdom tooth infection at home?
Often, rinsing your mouth with lukewarm water mixed with a tablespoon of salt can treat the aching wisdom tooth. For alternate options, you can try tea bags, cucumber, clove oil, garlic, and aloe vera.
However, these options only provide temporary relief, so you should consult an oral health expert or visit a dental clinic to take control of the situation before it gets more alarming.
Can I get a wisdom tooth infection after removal?
Many people can develop an infection within 4 to 7 days after wisdom tooth surgery. It happens due to inadequate post-wisdom tooth extraction care, which includes smoking, poor hygiene, or error at the hands of an inexperienced dentist during surgery.
Is wisdom tooth extraction painful?
It primarily depends on the level of your pain sensitivity, but considering the use of sedatives or anesthetics, you will not feel pain during the ongoing surgical procedure. Once the medicinal effects subside, you will experience moderate to sharp pain that will subside within 1-2 days.
How to clean under the gum flap of a wisdom tooth?
You can get your flaps deep cleaned by a dentist, but if you want to avoid a dental visit, use the coconut oil pulling technique for 15-20 minutes or gently brush over the area to avoid injuring the gums.