PAINFUL WISDOM TEETH

A patient walks into a dental clinic and his/her complaints are as follows; Doc my Wisdom teeth (back,last molar teeth) have been growing for the last couple of years since after high school, now they keep causing me terrible pain and swelling every now and then. What should i do?"

Well! This is fairly a common question asked frequently in whatever forum.

Supreme Smiles Avenue wishes to discuss salient features associated with “Wisdom teeth” or third molars.

WHICH ONES ARE WISDOM TEETH AND WHY 'WISDOM'?

Wisdom teeth or third molars are the last, most posteriorly placed permanent teeth and usually last to erupt in to the mouth. They mainly erupt into the mouth between 17 and 21 years of age. They can, however, erupt many years later. They have been called wisdom teeth because their eruption is associated with “adulthood”. Most adults have four wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth are famous for causing a lot of discomfort and even pain during eruption.

SO WHY WOULD THEY GIVE YOU SO MUCH DISCOMFORT?

Wisdom teeth can fail to reach the “normal” position in the mouth. We call these teeth impacted teeth. They can be present in the mouth but facing the wrong direction, sideways or backwards. They can be partly hidden under the gums, or they can even be completely buried in gums or jaw bones.

We expect a wisdom tooth to have erupted well around age 22. Beyond that it is unlikely to move, unless some other tooth has been lost, thereby creating space for movement of the impacted tooth. 

Dental health issues associated with impacted teeth?

A wisdom tooth that is partially erupted has an overlying gum covering part of the crown. The overlying gum hinders proper oral hygiene and is likely to promote food packing. This results in build up of food debrils that in the long run attract and promote growth of bacteria.  This can in turn promote development of several dental problems, including:

1.      Bad Breath

2.      Pericoronitis and periodontal abscess

3.       Gum disease and Periodontal disease

4.       Caries(decay) on the impacted tooth and the neighboring tooth

5.      Impacted teeth are also associated with other conditions such as cysts and growths which can cause excruciating pain.

6.      Also equally important is the fact that they can actually exist without causing any particular problems!

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

You should monitor your teeth regularly, clean them thoroughly but not over-zealously, you may risk eroding the enamel. If you suspect any issues from your wisdom teeth get professional help. The dentist will do the necessary investigations and help determine the next step to treat the discomfort. Treatment options may include surgical extraction under local anaesthesia or surgically removing the swollen piece of flesh (operculum) covering the tooth.

Visit your dentist after every 6 months for regular check up and cleaning before any unexpected problems/discomforts arise.

Dr. Sibuti Riro is a consultant Periodontist at Supreme Smiles Avenue Dental Center located in Kilimani along Tigoni Road directly opposite Naivas Kilimani entrance. He can be reached via 0721568972