For most people, wisdom teeth will be the cause of discomfort in their mouth at some point. This discomfort could lead to much more serious issues such as the tooth being impacted or an infection can occur around it. Let’s go over a few of the reasons why it may be wise to remove your wisdom teeth before any severe pain occurs.
1. Gum Partially Covers Tooth
Sometimes a wisdom tooth doesn’t grow in all the way, leaving a flap of gum covering it. This flap leaves an opportunity for food and bacteria to get caught between the tooth and the gum. When this happens, an infection can occur and requires the tooth to be removed. If your dentist suspects a pocket forming between the gum and your tooth, he/she may recommend removing the tooth to prevent future problems.
2. Impacted Tooth
Dentists talk about impacted teeth all the time, but the average person may not know what an impaction is. The fancy term just means that a piece of bone or another tooth is preventing your tooth from coming in. While this can happen with any tooth, it is much more likely to occur with wisdom teeth because those come in much later than the rest.
3. Mouth Isn’t Big Enough
This one is literally referring to the physical size of your mouth. Believe it or not, the reason you need your wisdom teeth removed may be as simple as your mouth not having enough room for them. If your mouth doesn’t have enough room for the additional teeth, your wisdom teeth can damage the roots of other teeth and ruin your teeth’s alignment.
4. Cavities
Because your wisdom teeth are further back in your mouth, you may forget to brush them or not realize you aren’t brushing them, which makes them more likely to decay than the rest of your mouth.
To find out if any of these issues apply to you, schedule a visit with Dr. Makrauer or Dr. Miller at Huntingdon Valley Dental Arts. They can take x-rays of your wisdom teeth to see if you will be facing any issues in the near future.