Feeling a protruding wisdom tooth can be extremely painful and irritating while speaking, sleeping, eating, or doing any daily chore.

Experiencing wisdom teeth pain¹ can vary from individual to individual. Still, symptoms remain common, although these can be removed surgically to avoid further complications and pain can be managed by taking painkillers, opioids, and antibiotics².

But did you know not all people have impacted wisdom teeth, because it relies on one’s genetics³? So how do you know if you have wisdom teeth? What are the significant indicators? Is it dangerous to overall health? Read on to know!

1. What is a Wisdom Teeth?

The wisdom teeth are the teeth that grow after the last molars⁴. Any teeth that grow beyond this number are wisdom teeth. These teeth commonly grow in a cross position and affect the second molars by pushing the gums aside.

As a result, the adjacent molar and its gums get inflamed and even bleed in some cases. Wisdom teeth grow due to genetic heredity passed by ancestors.

They used to grind hard roots and raw flesh during their generation, thus resulting in the growth of extra teeth in their descendants. 

2. Signs and Common Symptoms When Wisdom Teeth Are Coming

There are six common symptoms of having wisdom teeth. They are:

2.1. White Lumps or Cysts

If there are any white lumps visible after the second molar⁵, it is inevitable that wisdom teeth may cause problems and may not.

These lumps are generally hard with a soft covering of thin flesh of gums. It can be spotted right behind the last upright molar. This problem is called pericoronitis.

Many people get confused about these lumps as they think they might be a mouth ulcer⁶, pimple, or cyst⁷. A quick check-up with a dentist or orthodontist can determine whether the lump is a wisdom tooth.

If the wisdom teeth are detected early, then it may be easy to follow up proper treatment without any pain. 

2.2. Bleeding Gums or Swollen Gums

When the wisdom teeth grow in a cross direction and push the upright molar, the gums around it get inflamed and swollen. Consequently, it causes intense pain and discomfort across the gums, and the pain radiates to the whole jaw. 

In some cases, following the gum’s pain, some people may also develop tooth infections due to their lousy hygiene or bad eating lifestyle.

2.3. Stabbing Jaw Pain

Wisdom teeth commonly come along with bruising pain in the jaw. The affected area may not be visible sometimes, but the pain will persist.

Whenever there is a continuous sharp pain in the back of the molars, it indicates that the impacted wisdom teeth are about to grow. 

Any unexplained pain behind the molar teeth could also be due to mouth infection. Most people get perplexed regarding the pain in the back of the last tooth. When the tooth grows, it pushes the second molar, causing stabbing-like pain for months.

2.4. Difficulty in Swallowing and Speaking

In some circumstances, we may not feel pain with a wisdom tooth. However, it can irritate while swallowing the food. As a consequence, it can also be bothering while speaking. For instance, it can make the tongue get bit by the teeth when speaking.

Alongside the growth of wisdom teeth, in some cases, no pain would be felt but it can give rise to tenderness of the gums.

2.5. Cheek Swelling and Sore Throat

When an emerging tooth pushes the last molar in the opposite direction, the cheeks become swollen, and the throat becomes sore. The teeth outride the cheek from the inside, and unusual deformation can also be observed outside. 

2.6. Low-Grade Fever

Along with the sharp pain at the site of the wisdom teeth, light fever can also be accompanied. This is because the tooth opens up the edges of the gums and lets the food particles immerse inside.

Therefore, bacterial growth occurs between the gums and the teeth and can raise fever-like symptoms.

2.7. Frequent Headaches

Wisdom teeth issues can also trigger headaches and cause other health-related problems that can spread infection in the body.

As the nerve endings of the teeth are extremely sensitive, they can give rise to consistent headaches. If the signals of wisdom teeth are ignored, they may develop potentially serious complications.

3. Impacted Wisdom Teeth Treatment

There are several relief treatments available for wisdom teeth:

3.1. Wisdom Tooth Extraction

A surgical procedure generally removes the third molars of wisdom teeth. Before dental professionals perform the removal, local or general anesthesia is injected at the side of the gum line.

Removing impacted teeth is only an option if further symptoms or dental problems occur. They include:

• Tender gums.
• Molars, jaw pain, bleeding.
• Persistent dry mouth toothache.
• Noticeable gum swelling.
• Impacted wisdom tooth pushing and harm nearby teeth.
• Unpleasant symptoms of tooth decay.
• Gum tissue bleeding
• Teeth breaking
• Gum disease

3.2. Post Tooth Removal Care

After the impacted tooth’s extraction, specific protocols must be followed to heal the stitched gums. There will be mild pain following the surgical removal of wisdom teeth. Additionally, solid food is restricted for some weeks to avoid the opening of stitched gums.

Painkillers and antibiotics are prescribed by dentists to counter the pain and to be free from any infections. In some circumstances, if these medicines are not taken for at least a week, then the infection develops around the removal site.

FAQ’s

1. At what age do wisdom teeth come out?

Wisdom tooth reaches out between 18 and 25 and after 25 in rare situations. These teeth can be invisible before age 17, taking almost one year to protrude outside.  

2. Why do few people have wisdom teeth and few do not?

Having wisdom teeth is entirely about genetics and hereditary. Ancestors, those who used to eat solid complex roots or flesh of the animals, had extra pairs of molar teeth. After that, their descendants got those extra teeth and continued for generations.  

3. Why are wisdom teeth painful for some individuals and painless for some?

The tooth that outgrows the adjacent molar in a cross direction and pushes it to the other side can cause severe pain. On the other hand, for some individuals, the teeth grow in a straight, upright direction, and they do not feel pain at all. 

4. What is the treatment for wisdom teeth?

People who suffer severe pain, swelling, and bleeding of gums may require surgery for wisdom teeth removal as it is the only solution for it. People who do not feel pain but slight discomfort can manage it by taking painkillers. 

5. Is wisdom teeth useful or not?

Wisdom teeth support the jaw but do not interact much with chewing and swallowing. 

EndNote

Whenever you feel pain, swelling, discomfort, or bleeding after the second set of molars, it is better to quickly approach a dentist or orthodontist to analyze the root cause. 

If an emerging wisdom tooth accompanies all these symptoms, surgery is the only best option for all these problems. Another best way to identify this problem without any scan is to know if you have any family history of wisdom teeth. 

If all the signs of these teeth are ignored, the pain can become intense, the infection can spread to the whole jaw, and extreme inflammation can also happen. 

Hopefully, this article resolved all your queries about wisdom teeth, let us know your doubts and thoughts in the comments below. Stay safe and healthy!

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Last Updated on February 20, 2024 by NamitaSoren