Wisdom teeth are the final set of teeth you grow in your late teens or early twenties. It is also called the third molars and is located at the far end of the mouth/teeth set. It got the name ‘wisdom’ because it is believed that it breaks out through the gum when a person has acquired more ‘wisdom.’ Its sole purpose is to help chew rough or coarse food.
A common experience with wisdom tooth is that they tend to swell, which can be due to several reasons. It can be very painful and uncomfortable. If you suffer from wisdom teeth swelling or you have experienced it in the past, then this article is for you. We have listed the major reasons for wisdom teeth swelling and how to reduce or treat the swelling.
Why Are Your Wisdom Teeth Swelling
Usually, when any tooth is breaking through the dental gum, there might be some swelling, pain, and discomfort. This also happens when any tooth (milk teeth) is about to fall out. But even though swelling of the gum is a typical experience associated with having teeth, experiencing continual swelling could be a problem. Unfortunately, this is very common with wisdom teeth.
There are several reasons for wisdom teeth swelling. The common causes include the following:
- Limited Space for Wisdom Teeth to Grow Properly: It is the last tooth to grow in the mouth, and so there might not be enough space for it to grow as it should. The tooth can end up slanted with gaps and holes open for foods and bacteria to get stuck. This can then result in inflammation of the mouth, pain, and discomfort.
- When the Wisdom Teeth Grow Partially: Sometimes, the wisdom teeth can grow partially, leaving the crown outside the gum and the root still inside the gum. This obviously, can lead to gum swelling with constant pain.
- Misaligned Wisdom Teeth: Sometimes, wisdom teeth can be misaligned. This makes it very difficult to clean or floss. The particles stuck in it can also cause swells, pain, and other dental problems.
- Presence of Bacteria: The presence of bacteria in the mouth is another common cause of wisdom teeth swelling. This might not necessarily be due to inadequate oral hygiene. But their presence can lead to swelling and overall discomfort.
Why Is It Important To Take Care Of Wisdom Teeth Swelling?
Going to the dentist might seem like an impossible quest for some people (or going to any doctor at all), which is why many wisdom teeth swelling cases get very serious. In some scenarios, discomfort in the swollen area might not present an immediate or apparent problem. But it doesn’t mean it won’t lead to some severe and even permanent complications in the future if it is not immediately attended to.
Besides the swollen (and sometimes bleeding) gum, jaw pain, bad breath, unpleasant taste in the mouth, or difficulty opening the mouth at all, other complications could arise if the wisdom teeth swelling is not attended to on time. These include:
- Damage to other healthy teeth in the mouth: The third molar (the wisdom tooth) can push against the second molar and cause an increased risk of infection. It can also cause crowding if the pressure increases on other teeth. And it might need special treatment to take care of this problem.
- It could form a cyst: Cysts are not very friendly to the dental system because they can destroy the jawbone, the teeth, and the nerves involved. In rare cases, a tumor (usually noncancerous, luckily) can also develop due to cysts. In worst cases, the bone and the tissue might need to be removed through surgery.
- Tooth Decay: Although this is the most common complication of unattended wisdom teeth swelling, it is still greatly overlooked. The foods and bacteria that get trapped in the teeth don't easily get cleaned; they can cause the tooth to swell and decay over time.
- Gum Disease: swelling increases the risk of having gum disease or a root cavity, which would require gum and root cavities treatment to reverse.
How to Reduce Wisdom Teeth Swelling
The treatment for wisdom swelling is mainly dependent on the cause of the swelling. For example, rinsing your mouth thoroughly with warm water (with or without salt -saline) or an antiseptic oral rinse could do the trick when food is stuck.
But for other more complicated cases, here is how to reduce swelling after wisdom teeth removal.
- Place ice packs or any other cold compress to the swollen area or on your cheeks close to the swelling.
- Suck on ice (chips or cubes), making sure they are close to the swollen area.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin can also relieve swelling.
- Avoid taking substances that irritate the gum.
- Consider looking into how to remineralize teeth to avoid constant teeth swelling or decay.
- You can also mix a small portion of baking powder with your toothpaste before using it to brush your teeth. Paying more attention to the swollen area, and you should be relieved after a while.
- In a more complicated case scenario, you might consider removing the wisdom teeth altogether.
How To Reduce Swelling After Removing Wisdom Teeth?
Swelling after wisdom teeth removal is very normal and should be expected. In some cases, the face too can be swollen for a few days. Here are a few ways to reduce the swelling:
- Use warm salt water as a rinse (as described above). However, wait for about a day or two after extraction to do this technique.
- You can also use anti-inflammatory drugs as prescribed by the doctor.
- Consciously avoid bad oral hygiene that can lead to more swelling and infection.
- Use cold compress as described above.
- Brush very gently to avoid damaging your gums, which can result in further swelling.
How Long Does Wisdom Teeth Swelling Last?
The pain from wisdom teeth removal swelling can be very uncomfortable, and many people would prefer to have it gone in a day or not to have it at all. After removal, full recovery can take up to 2 weeks. Wisdom teeth swelling timeline is about 2-5 days, depending on the amount of care given to the swelling. The stiffness and overall soreness should be gone in about 7-12 days.
Things like how often to brush, the drugs you use, how you sleep (on the face or not), or what to eat after wisdom teeth removal are also essential in delaying or speeding up the recovery time. If the swelling or pain does not reduce after 3-5 days or does not show any sign of recovery (or you develop unusual symptoms after), it might be a sign of an infection. A visit to the dentist is highly recommended.
Swelling or pain in the mouth resulting from wisdom teeth can become a re-occurring event when wisdom teeth don’t grow as normally as they should, making it difficult to clean or take care of the teeth. This is why we have included tips on how to care for swollen wisdom teeth. Following these tips can help reduce swelling and restore your teeth. You should also consider developing scheduled visits to your dentist to avoid further complications.
