Not always are there obvious signs that your wisdom teeth need to be removed, and the procedure is usually recommended in order to prevent future dental health problems. However, Dr. Mariano Castro in Upland recommends that you look for these indications that your wisdom teeth might be causing problems.
The most common sign to look for is frequent or constant pain. This pain can be localized in the area where the wisdom teeth are located, or it can be more general pain in the jaw area. Problems with wisdom teeth can also produce severe headaches. Pain medication can be taken to reduce pain and discomfort, but this is only a temporary measure. Extracting the teeth is the only permanent solution.
If your wisdom teeth are growing in crooked, you probably need to get them removed. Crooked wisdom teeth can impact the rest of your teeth and press against the jaw. This can shift teeth out of position and negatively affect your bite. Unfortunately, braces won’t correct wisdom teeth that are crooked. They simply need to be extracted.
Another sign to look for is difficulty eating, especially if food is getting stuck under the gums around the wisdom teeth. If not removed or cleaned well, food caught around the wisdom teeth can lead to infection. This is a particular problem when a flap of the gums remains in place over the top of the wisdom teeth. In many cases, patients are not able to brush the back of their teeth well because of the presence of the wisdom teeth, in which case removing them ensures better oral hygiene.
A more dangerous problem occurs when wisdom teeth become impacted. If that happens, they might not even break the surface of the gums. One common sign of impacted wisdom teeth is swelling in the face, especially the cheeks right around the jaw joint. This swelling is a serious symptom and needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
In fact, any strange or unusual symptoms involving the jaw, teeth, gums or face need to be looked into, so don’t put off your next visit to the dentist. Dr. Mariano Castro will diagnose your particular situation to see if
your wisdom teeth need to be removed, so contact our office in Upland today.