Impacted wisdom teeth are incredibly painful and never welcome, however, a lot of us will just ignore the pain for weeks, months or years on end. Why’s that? Laziness, fear and the passing nature of the pain are usually the main reasons that individuals are so happy to live with the discomfort of an impacted tooth. If you or a loved one is suffering from an impacted wisdom tooth, it’s so important that you go and see your dentist right away. If the pain isn’t enough to get you in the car, read on. Here are the five most common problems caused by an impacted wisdom tooth…
Bad breath and poor hygiene
Sadly, impacted teeth mean that your breath and general oral hygiene is going to take a hit alongside your pain threshold. This is simply because having a tooth at an awkward angle, and leaving it there, encourages food to fall into the gaps created at the back of your mouth. This food and plaque build up is going to cause you a myriad of different issues, but it’s also going to cause you the discomfort of bad breath and never quite feeling like your mouth is clean no matter how long you spent brushing.
Damage surrounding teeth
It’s not only the impacted tooth that’s going to be causing pain in that mouth of yours! Impacted wisdom teeth are sitting at an angle and are highly susceptible to infection, but they can also cause the other teeth in your mouth to shift as a result of overcrowding. Molars that are close to your wisdom tooth can also be severely damaged from the food and plaque pockets that are developing next to them. The longer you let a wisdom tooth fester, the more your other teeth are at risk. What’s more, your teeth might find it difficult to grow normally against the force of an impacted tooth, making your whole smile wonky over time.
Potential tooth decay
The build up of food, plaque and grim that gathers in the area where your tooth’s base should be can seep through the protective enamel of your tooth and cause cavities, infection or, when left unattended for long enough, tooth decay. This is so hurtful to your smile as a whole and leaves you with a far bigger issue than just getting one of your wisdom teeth extracted. No matter how much you think your brushing is doing, when it comes to impacted teeth, it just isn’t enough.
Risk of infection
Infection, decay, gum disease and decay are all highly likely for every tooth in your mouth when you’re nursing an impacted wisdom tooth. The problem tooth itself, however, is most susceptible to infection. When you factor in the sheer pain of an impacted back tooth and you combine it with a nasty infection that makes it painful to talk or even drink water, you’ve got yourself a huge problem.
Risk of more severe outcomes such as cysts or jaw damage
Wisdom teeth removal protects your smile and your surrounding jaw, too! People tend to forget that their teeth are actually attached to something, and that something isn’t necessarily invincible. It’s important that you protect your face and jaw from any potential damage, infection or decay as well as your teeth – even if it seems a tad dramatic, it can become a reality for some people. Cysts are another severe outcome that can emerge when impacted wisdom teeth are left untreated. These pockets of plaque and puss present so many issues and a whole lot of pain.
With all of these possibilities, it’s a wonder why we don’t rush to the dentist for an X-ray or check-up as soon as we feel pain. Take care of yourself and book your appointment now.