Tips for dealing with wisdom tooth discomfort Skip to main content

Tips for dealing with wisdom tooth discomfort

A woman experiencing wisdom teeth pain.

Wisdom tooth discomfort can build slowly over time or come on quickly and take you by surprise. In either case, this is not a condition that should be left to go away on its own.

If your wisdom teeth are bothering you, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist or oral surgeon to have an evaluation and determine the right course of action. In the meantime, here are some tips for helping to ease the discomfort between now and your appointment.

4 Wisdom Teeth Pain Management Tips:

 

Over-the-counter medication

Take an over-the-counter analgesic to alleviate discomfort. Ibuprofen can be a good choice as it will also reduce swelling and inflammation around the tooth for additional relief.

Ice the area

Apply an ice pack to the outside of your cheek to numb the affected area and further reduce swelling. Be sure to wrap the ice pack in a cloth to protect your skin and follow 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off pattern.

Keep the area around the wisdom tooth clean

Brush gently around the base of the affected tooth being careful to clean the area without damaging tender gum tissue. With a mixture of two teaspoons of salt per eight ounces of water, rinse and clean your mouth to remove food particles and wash away bacteria.

Causes of wisdom tooth discomfort

There are three primary causes of wisdom tooth discomfort:

  • One or more wisdom teeth are coming in crooked, usually because there isn’t enough room in your mouth for an additional tooth
  • One or more wisdom teeth are impacted, meaning they have started to emerge from the jawbone but are now stuck part way
  • One or more wisdom teeth are infected

For most patients, once you have experienced issues with your wisdom teeth, the best permanent solution will be to have the teeth removed. Wisdom tooth extraction is a common oral surgery. Your doctor will advise you on your personal treatment options following your examination.

Schedule Your Wisdom Teeth Consult Today

Call Us Today!

Comments are closed.

Click to open and close visual accessibility options. The options include increasing font-size and color contrast.