7 Signs Your Wisdom Teeth Are Infected

If your tooth becomes infected, your family dentist may reccomend removal. This will:

• Lower your risk of periodontal disease, cavities and plaque buildup
• Protect nearby teeth from damage
• Keep the natural alignment of your other teeth
• Prevent jaw pain and discomfort

Wisdom Tooth Removal at Marlborough Dental

Through a comprehensive dental exam, our qualified family dentists can determine whether or not you require a wisdom tooth removal. In addition, our wide range of services include sedation dentistry, designed to make your dental treatments as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

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8 Warning Signs That Your Wisdom Teeth Are Infected

Sometimes referred to as third molars, wisdom teeth usually erupt, or become visible, in the back of the jaw, when a person reaches his/her late teens or mid 20s. When these become infected, a visit to the family dentist is usually in order.

Why do wisdom teeth become infected?

There are several reasons why one or more of your wisdom teeth can become infected. These include:

1. They are too difficult to reach

Your wisdom teeth are at the very back of your jaw. This makes them hard to reach with your toothbrush and floss. If partially-erupted wisdom teeth are not properly cleaned, this can cause food, plaque and other debris to accumulate on and around the teeth, resulting in bacteria growth.

2. They don’t erupt fully

There are times when a wisdom tooth doesn’t erupt fully. When this occurs, the tooth may be covered by a flap of gum tissue, which can trap food, bacteria, and plaque, and result in a wisdom tooth infection.

Signs of a wisdom tooth infection include:

1. Severe pain near your back teeth
2. Swelling of gum tissue
3. Pain when swallowing
4. Trismus (lockjaw)
5. Bad taste in the mouth
6. Pus discharge
7. Swollen, tender, red or bleeding gums
8. Earaches or headaches

If you are experiencing any of the following, you should contact your family dentist.

If you suspect that one or more of your wisdom teeth is infected, you should contact your family dentist as soon as possible. He/she can diagnose the infection and determine your course of treatment, whether it’s antibiotics or wisdom tooth removal.

 

Treatment Options For an Infected Wisdom Tooth

Your family dentist may prescribe antibiotics to treat infected wisdom teeth, as well as recommend over-the-counter pain medication to relieve any discomfort. Gargling warm salt water can also help speed up the healing process.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

To avoid any further infections or impacted wisdom teeth, it is best to speak to your dentist about extraction. At Marlborough Dental Centre, we provide sedation dentistry to alleviate any fear or pain that may accompany the removal.

Sedation dentistry has many benefits, including:

• Making it easier and quicker for your dentist to perform the extraction
• Alleviating any fear or anxiety
• It is a pain-free procedure
• Being able to respond to the dentist or ask any questions

 

Call Today

To find out more about our dental services including wisdom tooth removal and sedation dentistry, contact our Calgary family dentist today at 403-248-2066 or fill in our online contact form.