Humans have a set of 32 permanent teeth in their mouths. All permanent teeth except the four third molar teeth erupt between the ages of 6 to 13 years; the third molars erupt between the ages of 17 to 21 years. Since they erupt later in life, third molars are called wisdom teeth. The interesting thing about these wisdom teeth is that as the human race is evolving, these teeth are becoming more and more rudimentary, just like the appendix. There are multiple reasons for the same. Firstly, due to our diet becoming more processed and less fibrous, the third molars’ functional requirement has reduced. Also, our jaw size is gradually reducing as compared to the tooth size. Thus these wisdom teeth are unable to erupt into their correct position, in line with the rest of the teeth.
Wisdom teeth that do not get sufficient space to erupt correctly get impacted either in the gums alone or the gums and bone both. More often than not, even if they erupt completely out of the bone and gums, they are either tilted incorrectly or rotated. Owing to these reasons, the wisdom teeth are covered by a gum flap and/or associated with a gum pocket. In addition, due to their wrong position, they are difficult to clean with normal oral hygiene measures, leading to food lodgement and higher chances of dental decay.
Wisdom tooth infection can occur due to the same reasons as infection in any other teeth in your mouth – the most common being a deep cavity. Other reasons are food lodgement in the gum pocket associated with the third molar teeth, infection in the tooth sac and prolonged impaction. Since wisdom teeth ate in a less than ideal position and angulation, they are very difficult to brush clean. The presence of deep gum pockets further aggravates the situation. Any food that gets stuck in the wisdom tooth area, with time forms plaque and leads to a huge build-up of the bacteria that causes dental cavities and gums and bone diseases. Sometimes, if the tooth is partially impacted (stuck halfway into the bone and gums), the tooth sac may also get infected with bacteria. As the dental cavity gets deeper and destroys more enamel and dentin, it gets closer to the pulp of the tooth that houses that nerve of the tooth. Once the cavity is deep enough to reach the nerve, the tooth starts paining. This pain can be very discomforting as there is a lot of pressure built up inside the tooth nerve. Once the infection spreads to the root and leaves the tooth, it enters the bone and surrounding tissues. This is when you start feeling a severe pain and pressure build-up in that area. In some cases, if this infection is not treated promptly, the infection can spread to the throat and neck and other areas of the face and develop into a space infection. A space infection is potentially life threatening. Hence, it is of prime importance not to ignore wisdom tooth problems and to get immediate treatment as recommended by the dentist. In most cases you will be referred to an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, who is a dentist specially trained to perform complex wisdom tooth surgeries.
Every dental clinic in Mumbai has had patients asking the dentist, “Doctor, will treating the wisdom tooth affect my eyesight?” Our team at The Maxfac Clinic consists of expert Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons that have been providing gold standard wisdom tooth and other dental treatment in Mumbai. We urge you not to believe in hearsay and to keep an eye out for these signs and symptoms of wisdom tooth infection:
1. Pain in the wisdom tooth area
2. Food lodgement in the wisdom tooth area
3. Foul smell coming from the back of the mouth
4. Swelling in the wisdom tooth area
5. Deep cavity in the wisdom teeth
6. A gum flap that partially covers the wisdom tooth
7. Swelling in the gums around the wisdom tooth
8. Swelling in the lymph nodes below the lower jaw
9. Pain in front of the ears
10. Difficulty in chewing in that area
11. Difficulty in opening the mouth and/or reduced mouth opening
12. Fever and malaise
If you or a dear one have any of the above signs and symptoms of wisdom tooth infection or to know more about Wisdom tooth treatment feel free to contact The Maxfac Clinic, a maxillofacial and dental clinic in Mumbai, on +91 8879745345. We are a super-speciality clinic providing advanced dental treatment in Mumbai.