8 Signs You Need to Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

8 Signs You Need to Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

General Dentistry

Are you beginning to notice some sensitivity in the back of your gums? Are you wondering if you have to remove your wisdom teeth? There aren’t always obvious signs that your wisdom teeth need to be removed, but there are a few things you can look out for.

Wisdom teeth are the third and last set of molars that grow during the earlier stages of human development. However, they are often no longer necessary for proper chewing and speech function, therefore, many people have them removed. Sometimes, when wisdom teeth start to erupt from the gums, they begin to shift and impact the alignment of your teeth and jaw. This is why taking them out before this can happen is important.

Maintaining regular check ups with your Mississauga family dentist at Credit River Dental Centre will help you monitor the development of them, meanwhile we are going to talk about some signs that you need to remove your wisdom teeth.

When to Get Your Wisdom Teeth Out

Many times, wisdom teeth grow at various angles, even horizontally, or don’t have enough room to come in fully. Your Mississauga family dentist may recommend you have your wisdom teeth removed as soon as possible if they:

• Emerge partially through the gums: In that case, the area would be hard to see and clean properly. This can attract bacteria, which can cause oral infection and gum disease
• Remain completely hidden within the gums: If wisdom teeth can’t emerge normally, they often become impacted within your jaw. This could lead to an infection or a cyst that could damage adjacent teeth or the supporting jaw bone
• Crowd nearby teeth: If your wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to grow in properly, they can crowd or damage neighbouring teeth

When Wisdom Teeth Do NOT Have to Be Removed

You may keep your wisdom teeth if:

• They are positioned and biting correctly with opposite teeth
• They are healthy
• They are fully erupted (grow in completely)
• They are able to be cleaned thoroughly as a part of your daily dental hygiene

Signs That You Need to Remove Wisdom Teeth

Most issues with wisdom teeth happen when a person is between 15 and 25 years old. However, a person at any age can experience problems and may require a wisdom tooth extraction. Some common signs that you need to remove your wisdom teeth are:

• Sensitivity or pain in the back of your mouth
• Inflammation around the gums
• Cysts develop in your mouth
• Stiffness and pain in the jaw
• Sinus problems
• Bad breath and bad taste in the mouth
• Cavities and tooth decay
• Teeth are not straight

Before your wisdom teeth grow in fully, your dentist will typically take an x-ray to predict whether they will overcrowd your other teeth or not. This is one example of why it is important to get your wisdom teeth checked out as soon as they start to come in.

What Are the Risks of Keeping Your Wisdom Teeth?

If you choose not to have your wisdom teeth removed, you may experience the following symptoms:

• If there is not enough room in your mouth for your wisdom tooth to grow in, it may become impacted and trapped under the gum
• Your wisdom tooth may erupt only partially, causing the flap of gum tissue to grow over it. This can lead to trapping food debris under the flap and make your gums painful, red and swollen – the first signs of an infection
• There is a greater risk getting periodontal disease and cavities
• If an infection occurs around impacted wisdom teeth, it can cause damage to surrounding bones and teeth. A fluid sac may form around the impacted tooth, which can grow into a cyst over time. This could cause serious damage to the jaw, bones and neighbouring teeth
• Your wisdom teeth may make future orthodontic treatment problematic

Although wisdom teeth extraction is one of the most common dental procedures, this often won’t emerge as a problem for many adults. When deciding whether you have to remove wisdom teeth, remember that extracting them when signs, such as the ones listed here appear, are imperative to avoid impacting and damaging your teeth and jaw alignment. Schedule your appointment at Credit River Dental Centre today in order to assess your oral health condition and have your wisdom teeth looked at!