Wisdom teeth are the most intriguing and are also called third molars, as they appear at the back of the mouth. Some people don’t experience a any issues with their wisdom teeth, but some might experience pain, infection and other instances of discomfort.
In many cases, misaligned wisdom tooth grows in a horizontal manner either angling itself towards or away from the other teeth. When the wisdom tooth erupts partially through the gums, it leaves an opening for the tooth and the nerves to become vulnerable to infection. This can lead to irregular gum bleeding, pain in the gums, swelling and even stiffness of the jaw.
Wisdom teeth pain is always felt at the back of the mouth, behind your molars. If one looks carefully in the mirror, one can make out wisdom tooth poking out through your gums. The area might also be enflamed, red and tender to the touch.
When an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, causes other dental problems or damages other teeth, one might experience some of these symptoms like tender or bleeding gums, red or swollen gums, swelling around the jaw, jaw pain, difficulty in opening the mouth, bad smell from the mouth and an unpleasant taste in the mouth
Once it has been decided that a wisdom tooth is problematic, local anaesthesia is administered to ensure the tooth can be pulled out without any major pain. A minor surgery is then conducted where the bone and the tissue around the wisdom tooth are removed so that the tooth can be extracted from the socket.
In some cases, wisdom teeth come out partially, which makes them prone to decay and other diseases because they cannot be brushed or flossed, which causes bacteria to accumulate. In these cases, it is important to remove them. The ideal age to remove the third molar is between 16 and 22 years since it is not yet fully formed.