When should wisdom teeth be removed?

I’m sure many of you have suffered some kind of pain caused by wisdom teeth, those molars that come out of hiding to make us suffer a bit as you get older. In dentistry, the extraction of wisdom teeth is a fairly common procedure. They are dispensable teeth that can be removed without causing any problems afterwards and, on top of that, you avoid having to go through a lot of pain.

Therefore, today we are going to talk to you about what wisdom teeth are and when and why they should be removed. In addition, we will give you some tips for oral care when these teeth are extracted.

What are wisdom teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the molars that grow in the back of the mouth. There can be as many as four of them, one in each corner of the mouth, although some people do not develop them at all. For the rest of us, these molars usually emerge from the gums between the ages of 17 and 24, although they can cause pain at later ages.

We usually know they are growing by the pain and/or inflammation that occurs in the area. Sometimes they can even cause some kind of infection or be asymptomatic.

When is it advisable to extract them?

It is not always necessary to remove wisdom teeth. Many people do not experience pain or inflammation. This occurs when there is not enough space in the mouth for them to grow normally. This is known as impacted or impacted wisdom teeth.

In this case, there is usually pain and inflammation. Therefore, at this point, it is advisable to extract the wisdom teeth.

Care after wisdom tooth extraction

It is common that after the extraction of wisdom teeth, the area remains swollen and painful for at least 24 to 48 hours. The dentist may prescribe some kind of anti-inflammatory medication to counteract this.

There are other home remedies that may help, such as applying heat and cold to the area or rinsing with salt water.

Anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics can help ease the pain if you don’t want to have the extraction. As long as they are prescribed by a doctor, of course. However, bear in mind that the only definitive solution is usually the extraction of the molars, due to the fact that the pain tends to recur over time, as long as this is the case when there is no adequate space for them to grow.

Remember that if you are looking for a dental clinic in Viladecans, you can visit our Baldrich Dental Clinic without obligation. In a free first appointment, we will assess your case and give you a quote if necessary.

You can call us on 936 58 46 81 or write us a WhatsApp message on 620 63 83 86.