5 Emergency Wisdom Tooth Extraction Conditions to Look Out For

The majority of people in the United States get their wisdom teeth pulled in their teens or early twenties to prevent issues. Others are unable to have their wisdom teeth pulled at this time and may need to wait. 

In these scenarios, it is possible that an emergency wisdom teeth removal will be required. If you're not sure whether to wait or have your wisdom teeth pulled right immediately, search for these indications and symptoms.

5 Warning Signs From Your Wisdom Tooth

In general, removing wisdom teeth early can help prevent issues later on. If you have any of the symptoms indicated above, you may require an emergency dental care.

1. Frequent or severe pain

An occasional or moderate toothache is usually not a cause for anxiety. There are numerous factors that can cause occasional tooth pain. However, if you consistently experience pain in the same region, or if the pain is severe and distracting, you should see your dentist. If you are experiencing pain at the back of your mouth, your wisdom teeth may be at fault, and emergency wisdom tooth removal may be necessary.

The pain you are experiencing could be caused by pericoronitis. Because there isn't enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to come in like your other back molars, they frequently come in crooked and emerge through the gums. Pericoronitis is caused by inflammation of the tissue surrounding these emerging teeth.

2. Infection

Wisdom teeth frequently come in at strange angles through the gums because they lack enough space to properly emerge. This not only causes discomfort (as stated above), but it can also make the tissues surrounding the impacted teeth more vulnerable. Bacteria can enter difficult-to-brush places around teeth or damage the thin gum tissue around wisdom teeth before they emerge. These places in the rear of the mouth are also difficult to brush and floss, so bacteria can accumulate even if you practice good oral hygiene. All of these can cause infection.

An infection can develop anywhere in your body, including your mouth. If you experience a chronic unpleasant taste in your mouth, bad breath, blisters, pus, discomfort, or discoloration, you may have an infection. If you clean and floss regularly but still see signs of illness around your wisdom teeth, it's time for emergency wisdom teeth removal. Persistent infections can cause significant damage to your other teeth, gums, jawbone, and even nearby tissues such as your eyes, nose, and brain.

3. Redness and swelling

If you have redness or swelling in the back of your mouth, your wisdom teeth may be irritating the gum tissue. This is also a pre-infection sign, but it can be uncomfortable and bothersome on its own. As your wisdom teeth emerge, they may push the gum tissue up. This may cause you to bite down on the gum tissue while chewing, resulting in redness and swelling over time. 

Overall, redness and swelling indicate tissue injury, whether caused by germs or physical force. If wisdom teeth are at blame, the problem will not resolve on its own, and it is time for an emergency wisdom teeth extraction.

4. Bleeding

This is another symptom that may accompany an infection, damage from biting down on elevated gum tissue, or other causes. Except for the infrequent lip-biting or tongue-biting occurrence, bleeding anywhere in the mouth is a bad omen. If you see this, see your dentist straight away. If you detect this in the back of your mouth, particularly around impacted wisdom teeth, it may indicate that your wisdom teeth are causing damage. This indicates that you need an emergency wisdom teeth extraction.

5. Tooth decay

Wisdom teeth are located in the far back of your mouth and are difficult to brush and floss, especially if they are only partially exposed or come in at odd angles. This can result in microscopic pockets for bacteria to gather and proliferate in. When these germs are not brushed or flossed away, they begin to eat away at tooth enamel, infiltrate the tooth's inner structures, and create decay and cavities. This could arise in the partially visible wisdom teeth or the adjacent teeth. 

Tooth decay can be difficult to detect in the early stages. It happens slowly, so you may not feel or notice it. Your dentist has unique tools for removing hard-to-reach plaque, so visiting your dentist on a regular basis can help prevent tooth decay. If you see discoloration around your teeth, redness, swelling, gum recession, or pain, these could be symptoms of more advanced dental decay.