4 Signs You May Need a Wisdom Tooth Extraction

The pain can be excruciating, cause infection, and it happens to millions of people each year around the world. Your wisdom teeth typically start coming in (erupting) anywhere from your mid teens all the way until your late 20s. The majority of individuals have no problems with their wisdom teeth, as they grow in correctly and are not an issue.

However, for those who are suffering from impacted wisdom teeth, surgical extraction is typically the best treatment. In this article, we are going to cover 4 warning signs that you should look out for. If you are experiencing any of these issues, then we encourage you to contact our dental office to schedule your appointment.

What exactly is an impacted wisdom tooth?

A wisdom tooth becomes impacted when it doesn’t have room to erupt properly. When this happens, the tooth does not have the necessary room to grow, and thus needs to be removed surgically to avoid crowding issues with other teeth, and more severe & costly dental problems (such as decay since they are heard to clean) down the road.

1. Swelling in the jaw area

If your wisdom tooth or teeth have become impacted and need to be removed, you may notice your jaw swelling on one or both sides in the region of your wisdom teeth. It may be sensitive to the touch, feel like a dull headache, or even cause sharp, stabbing pains from time to time.

2. Having a hard time chewing food

The primary function of the wisdom teeth is to help with chewing tougher, harder to eat foods. However if your wisdom teeth are impacted and need to come out, then you will likely experience significant pain when trying to chew some of your favorite foods. If the problem persists, then seeing one of our dentists in the Fairfax area is your best course of action, as the problem is not likely to resolve itself.

3. Tender or bleeding gums

Do the gums in the back of your mouth look swollen or angry? This is one of the most common signs of an impacted wisdom tooth. In fact, you may notice that when you brush the area, it is tender, painful, and your gums may even bleed.

4. Pain or prolonged soreness in the back of the mouth

Sometimes, a toothache is actually an impacted wisdom tooth. One of the most common reasons people first see a dentist for a wisdom tooth-related issue is due to pain in the back of the mouth. It may be a short, stabbing pain or present itself like a dull headache that just will not go away. Either way, it can be extremely painful and impact your quality of life significantly.

Let our Dentists Help You

At Smiles at Fairfax Corner, we pride ourselves on putting patients first, and matching them with the exact treatment they need. If you are in pain, and think you may have an impacted wisdom tooth (or any other dental issue), we encourage you to contact our Fairfax dental office today and schedule your appointment!