Generally, as we move into our late teens or early twenties, the final set of molars – also known as wisdom teeth – begin to emerge. Unfortunately, these back teeth can often cause dental issues and provide no real benefit.
With the limited space in our modern-day jaws, wisdom teeth may be difficult to fit into the mouth. Consequently, they can cause potential problems as they attempt to erupt at an unusual angle or become partially impacted and disturb existing teeth and bone structures.
Wisdom teeth, located at the back of the mouth, can often be tricky to clean and floss properly. When neglected, impaction or inadequate dental hygiene may lead to a severe infection that can eventually cause an abscessed tooth if left untreated.
What Is A Dental Abscess?
An abscess is a pocket of pus formed due to a bacterial infection. A dental abscess can form in the tooth, gums or bone. An infection in any tissue of the body is likely to spread. However, our body has a built-in defence system that kicks in to stop bacterial infections from spreading, which leads to the formation of these abscesses.
A wisdom tooth abscess is essentially the same as a dental abscess that may occur anywhere in the mouth; however, it’s specifically called such when connected to a wisdom tooth.
Generally, an infected tooth will cause immense discomfort and pain; however, there are cases in which it may not be detected unless your dentist chances upon it.
Symptoms Of A Wisdom Tooth Abscess
In its initial stages, a wisdom tooth abscess may remain unsymptomatic. However, you may notice symptoms that worsen over time as it progresses. Following are signs of a wisdom tooth abscess that you may see.
Paint While Eating
One of the most common symptoms of a dental abscess is pain during eating. The bolus of food may put pressure upon the abscess, which may elicit a response of pain from the body. In the case of a wisdom tooth abscess, the pain is usually felt at the back of your mouth, where the wisdom tooth is located.
Throbbing Pain Near the Tooth
While activity in the oral cavity, such as mastication (chewing), may elicit a painful response, a dental abscess can be painful even in a resting state. This pain is of a throbbing kind, felt near the tooth.
A throbbing pain in teeth usually signifies infection and inflammation.
Swollen Gums
The appearance of gums around the infected tooth may also visibly change in case of a wisdom tooth abscess. You may notice that the gums go from their natural stippled, coral-pink appearance to swollen, glazed and red looking. It’s the spread of infection-causing bacteria that brings about these changes in the gums.
Swelling of Facial Areas
The infection in our teeth and gums can quickly spread to the tissues in our faces, causing redness and swelling in the face. This is a very painful condition and a serious health risk that needs to be treated immediately.
Tooth Sensitivity
Dental abscesses can render your teeth a lot more sensitive than they usually are. With a wisdom tooth abscess, you can expect your wisdom tooth, or even the teeth around it, to be sensitive to hot or cold food.
Radiating Pain
The pain caused by a wisdom tooth abscess is not limited to the boundaries of the tooth itself. It often radiates to the surrounding tissues leading to pain in the entire jaw, neck and ear.
Is An Abscessed Wisdom Tooth A Dental Emergency?
An abscess is a serious dental emergency that can be both painful and dangerous. If left untreated, the infection will only worsen. It may even spread to other areas of your body – thus making it essential to receive prompt treatment to keep it from escalating.
If a wisdom tooth abscess is left untreated, it can lead to sepsis which could be a dangerous and even fatal condition if not dealt with swiftly. If you suspect you have an infected wisdom tooth, don’t hesitate – to seek professional help from your dentist immediately! Many dental offices are equipped to handle emergency appointments promptly on the same day.
Treatment Of Wisdom Teeth Abscess
Treatment of the wisdom tooth abscess depends upon how far the abscess has progressed and the state of the wisdom tooth. Following are the treatment options currently available for an abscessed wisdom tooth.
Drainage
When the infection is limited to a single area, your dentist can quickly and effectively open up the abscess, drain it, and cleanse it with a saline solution. This will ensure that all traces of infection are entirely removed from the affected area.
Medication
Once the infection has spread beyond the perimeters of the pus cavity, drainage alone is not enough. At this stage, medication becomes necessary. Your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics to help fight a severe infection that has spread to other tissues.
Pain medication may also be administered to manage the pain and discomfort caused as the infection spreads.
Extraction
Wisdom tooth removal is recommended if your wisdom teeth are damaged or decayed, or there is a risk of recurrent infection. Impacted wisdom teeth are also considered for extraction since they are at a high risk of re-infection.
Preventing Dental Abscesses From Forming
As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. You can take several steps to prevent a dental abscess from forming. These measures will keep you in good health and save you the time and cost that come with treatments for dental abscesses and several other oral health conditions.
Maintaining Oral Hygiene
Poor oral hygiene leads to poor oral health. It is one of the biggest causes of many oral pathologies. Simple measures like brushing twice daily with a soft toothbrush, flossing regularly, and using mouthwash can help you optimise your oral health.
Regular Dentist Visits
Visiting your dentist may not seem necessary if you don’t have any dental issues. However, several dental emergencies and treatments can be avoided if you see your dentist regularly. Dental decay is unsymptomatic initially. But by treating it in its early stages, you can prevent extensive treatments like tooth extraction and root canal treatment. With an infection stopped in its early stages, no infection can reach the stage of forming a dental abscess.
Takeaway
Dental abscesses can be very painful, but they are also easily avoidable. Just take good care of your oral health and see a dentist regularly. If you do develop an abscess, seek treatment immediately from your dentist or an emergency room. Never delay the dental treatments you need. Our skilled dental professionals at Toothsome Implants Chatswood are dedicated to offering top-notch treatments and quick relief from discomfort. Book your appointment today!
- Sydney CBD on (02) 9159 3728
- Baulkham Hills on (02) 9158 6637
- Chatswood on (02) 8203 8786
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
