Causes of Pain
Pressure from the wisdom tooth may cause pain in the tooth next to it. Pain can also be caused by infection around the wisdom tooth.
Wisdom teeth are also known as a third molar. Our ancient ancestors had larger jaw bones than modern day humans, which meant there was enough room to accommodate the wisdom teeth emerging through the gum. The problem nowadays is that our jaw bones are much smaller leaving less room for the wisdom teeth to grow into. This causes crowding in the back of the mouth which can lead to a number of problems including pain.
Impacted Teeth
One of the main causes of pain in regard to your wisdom teeth is known as impaction. Due to lack of space in the jaw, a wisdom tooth may get impacted within. Impacted teeth can cause severe damage to the adjacent tooth and or its gums. They may develop Cysts and rarely also tumours. The best way to deal with impacted teeth is to have regular check-ups with your dentist and see if early removal is the right option for you.
Emerging from the Gum
When you were a child your gums were softer but it still hurt when your new teeth started to grow through the gum. This is generally known as teething. As an adult, your gums are harder so when your wisdom teeth start to push their way through the gum it will cause pain. This is normal and can usually be dealt with using common pain medication. If the pain persists visit a dentist because it may be an impacted tooth, or presence of infection.
Infected Gums
Wisdom teeth that are not coming through the gum line can often become stuck. If this happens sometimes the gum tissue can become infected which can lead to gum disease. Infection can also lead to unpleasant results such as cysts or the infection of your jaw bone. These will not only cause a lot of pain but can lead to need for more complex dental surgery. If your wisdom teeth are hurting it is important to consult with your dentist to identify the cause.
Tooth Extraction Pain
If you get your wisdom teeth removed there will be pain associated with it. Although it is a relatively simple procedure there will be discomfort. It will generally take around one week to recover from wisdom teeth extraction. You can manage this pain with pain medication and altering your diet to include only soft food such as eggs or smoothies. If the pain is very severe, or if the pain started after 2 days of tooth removal, its best advised to call up your dentist at the earliest to schedule a check-up.