Wisdom teeth, or third molars, can cause an array of problems in your head and affect your physical and emotional well being. When wisdom teeth erupt or surface through the gums, the pain can be excruciating, explains the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Finding pain relief will be your number one priority once you start to have problems with wisdom teeth.
Pain Locations
Your wisdom teeth are located in the back of your mouth behind your back molars. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons explains that wisdom teeth begin growing at around 12 years of age. They start to surface through the gums between the ages of 17 and 25.
For some people, they can cause an array of problems that can lead to pain in the gums, nerve pain in and around the wisdom teeth, and headaches found on the chin, cheekbone, forehead and side of face. As they tear through, they can rip through the gums, causing bleeding and painful swelling.
Home Remedies
Sometimes you need to resolve the pain from your wisdom teeth immediately before you can see your dentist. Utilize home remedies with over-the-counter medications. Dental Fear Central explains that a topical over-the-counter anesthetic can instantly and temporarily ease pain. They contain benzocaine, which numbs the gums and the surrounding tissue.
Acetaminophen can also be purchased over the counter. It not only helps with pain, it also reduces swelling of the tissue—a common cause of wisdom tooth pain. An ice pack can also temporarily numb the jaw and provide relief until you can seek dental help.
Prescription Drugs
Once you see your dentist, he will examine your teeth and mouth and take panoramic x-rays to determine the position of your wisdom teeth. If he determines that there is a cyst or infection anywhere in the mouth, he may require you to take antibiotics before the tooth can come out. According to the Mayo Clinic website, he may also prescribe a prescription painkiller such as Valium or Tylenol with codeine in order to help cope with any pain until the extraction.
Extraction
If you seek regular and routine dental care, your dentist should be able to detect if your wisdom teeth will be a problem before they erupt and take the proper measures for removal. If your teeth are causing pain or are encroaching on other teeth in your mouth, you may have to have an extraction. While an extraction can be painful for a short time afterward due to swelling, numbness and bleeding, it will eliminate the pain caused by the wisdom teeth.
Long-Term Complications
When you have severe pain in your mouth, that is a sign or indication that there's something more serious happening with your teeth, explains the Consumer Guide to Dentistry. Wisdom teeth can cause pain on their own by agitating nearby nerves and tissue. If they shift inside of the gums, they can fracture other teeth and cause decay in the gum line and the tooth. Wisdom teeth can also trigger nerves that can lead to chronic nerve pain and headaches. In severe cases, explains the American Dental Association, wisdom teeth can cause all of the teeth in your mouth to become crowded, which can lead to cosmetic dental problems.
