When to have your wisdom teeth removed

Not everyone needs to have their wisdom teeth removed and not everyone has wisdom teeth!

In most cases, your wisdom teeth will erupt from the ages 17 to 21 but can erupt much later into adulthood.

Wisdom teeth are notorious for causing issues as most people’s mouths don’t have enough room for them or the teeth grow in the wrong direction, impact the surrounding teeth. Here at Saratoga Dental, we can help with any of your wisdom teeth problems but it’s best to have them removed before any symptoms arise such as:

Pain in the back of your mouth

One of the most common and easily recognised symptoms resulting from your wisdom teeth is experiencing pain in the back of your mouth. This pain can be sporadic and occasional or persistent and unwavering.

Tender or bleeding gums

When wisdom teeth begin to grow in, they can cause a flap of gum tissue to form on the top or the side of the gum near the incoming tooth. This flap can easily trap small food particles and bacteria, leading to irritation, pain, bleeding, and bad breath.

Headaches

When wisdom teeth grow roots in the upper jaw, pressure may be placed on your sinuses. This can cause sinus pain, headaches, earaches, or congestion.

What happens if I leave it too long?

If left untreated, wisdom teeth can impact the surrounding teeth causing all sorts of major problems.

Overcrowding occurs when there’s just not enough room in your mouth for more teeth. When the mouth is overcrowded, it can push the other teeth together, causing them to become crooked.

Cysts may also form in your mouth if wisdom teeth are ignored. These cysts can cause significant damage to your jaw, teeth, nerves and destroy the bone that supports your teeth.

This is why it’s so important that before your wisdom teeth fully grow in, you regularly visit us for a dental check-up so our highly skilled dentists can predict whether will occur by looking at x-rays and scans. If any serious issue occur, you may have to spend more money to have your wisdom teeth removed and save the surrounding teeth.

As you age, you are at greater risk for health problems so be sure to also floss around your wisdom teeth and brush your teeth twice a day to preserve your beautiful smile!

Read our tips on how to floss right here!

If you think your wisdom teeth are coming in or are causing you issues, contact our friendly team and book an

appointment with us today!

Resources

https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/w/wisdom-teeth