If you flinch when you hear the words wisdom and teeth in the same sentence, you’re not alone. Many people experience problems with their wisdom teeth. In some cases, the wisdom teeth erupt with no problem at all, but in others, they can be troublesome. Here are some top tips to help you ensure that your wisdom teeth don’t cause problems and some advice to help you out if you do have pain.

Seeing your dentist

When you have a check-up, your dentist won’t just be looking out for signs of gum disease and cavities. They’ll also look at how your teeth are developing. This means that any issues related to your bite (orthodontic issues) or your wisdom teeth, can be spotted early. If your dentist thinks that your wisdom teeth are going to cause problems, they may be able to act before you start experiencing pain. If the jaw is very small or the teeth are already crowded, for example, it may be useful to extract the teeth before they become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth often result from a lack of space in the jaw, which causes the tooth to start pushing against the neighbouring tooth. Ideally, we recommend check-ups every 6-9 months, but if you do have any pain in between sessions, don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment earlier.

Maintaining good oral hygiene

Sometimes, wisdom tooth pain is caused by infection, which can be prevented by good oral hygiene. Due to the location of the wisdom teeth, it can be very difficult to reach them to clean them properly, and this increases the risk of decay. If your wisdom teeth are developing, make sure you reach right into the corners of the mouth with your toothbrush.

Dealing with dental pain

If your wisdom teeth are giving you grief and you haven’t been to see your dentist, give us a call now. It’s best to get things checked out, just in case it looks like there are going to be issues further down the line. It’s common to have pain when your wisdom teeth are coming through, but sometimes, they can cause major problems, and it may be best to extract them before the situation gets any worse. If you’ve got pain, you can also take over the counter painkillers and use ice packs to make you feel more comfortable.