Wisdom Tooth Pain Remedies

So, you have made an appointment to have your painful wisdom teeth removed, but the oral surgeon couldnt fit you in the schedule until next month. Here are some home remedies for wisdom tooth pain until your appointment.

• Ice Chips: Apply to the painful wisdom teeth to help numb the pain and reduce swelling.
• Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers: They can help temporarily ease the discomfort associated with painful wisdom teeth.
• Salt Water: Using a mixture of about eight ounces of water with two teaspoons of salt, rinse to clean your mouth and help dislodge food particles and bacteria that could be causing a painful infection.

Wisdom tooth extraction is not an option for some people due to potential risk for complications, bleeding disorders, or some other cause. In these cases, your dentist may recommend the pain management options like those mentioned above. In cases where wisdom tooth extraction is not an option, your dentist may also prescribe a special mouth rinse that will clean your mouth after meals and kill bacteria that could potentially cause infection.

Cold And Heat Therapy

Applying an ice pack to your cheeks can help reduce inflammation and swelling. Cold also has a numbing effect that can reduce pain. Applying gentle heat can promote healing by relieving tension and increasing blood flow to the area.

You can use either cold or heat depending on what works best for your pain. Some people alternate between hot and cold treatments. Apply hot or cold to the area for several minutes at a time, several times a day.

Pain After Wisdom Tooth Removal Surgery

The best thing for wisdom tooth pain caused by impaction or infection is often a tooth extraction. If your dentist can see that leaving the tooth in place is likely to cause further problems, they will recommend removing it.

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Patients will not be in any pain while they are having their wisdom teeth removed because of anesthesia, but its natural to experience discomfort to the affected area after almost any kind of surgery. Opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin have long been prescribed for post-surgical pain relief for wisdom teeth patients and the medications do their job.

But regular use of these prescribed drugs can increase your tolerance and dependence and in some cases, long-term use can lead to addiction. Opioids may not be the best option for everyone.

With teenagers making up a large percentage of those who need their wisdom teeth removed, some oral health professionals have begun offering a pain relief option that is not addictive. Its called Exparel and it contains a type of local anesthetic that only treats the surgical area.

One dose administered during surgery starts to work before the anesthesia wears off and provides up to 72 hours of pain relief that can be followed up with or supplemented with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen. Not everyone knows about this alternative option but check with your doctor to see if its available to you.

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What Causes Wisdom Teeth Pain

Wisdom teeth usually emerge after all the adult teeth. They may emerge at an awkward angle, or there may not be enough room for them.

Wisdom teeth normally push their way through the gums when a person is between the ages of 17 and 21. The sensation of a tooth pushing through the gums can be painful.

In addition, there is often no room for the wisdom teeth in a person’s mouth, as the adult teeth have already developed. This lack of space may cause wisdom teeth to come through at an angle, or getting stuck and not come through fully.

When this happens, the wisdom teeth are impacted. Having impacted wisdom teeth leaves the gums vulnerable, as the surface breaks and the teeth are not fully through. Food and bacteria can get trapped in the gums and lead to several issues, including:

• gum disease
• cysts

When Should You See A Dentist For Wisdom Teeth Pain

In general, pain is like your body sending up a flare that something needs attention. So if you’re in pain, follow up.

That’s true even if it’s fleeting. Often, Dr. Cuomo says, patients say they experienced wisdom tooth pain that came and went over a few months, but they thought it was OK because the pain dissipated. Not so, he says. “The episodes of temporary pain were most likely subacute manifestations of a chronic infection,” Dr. Cuomo says.

It’s wise for parents to have their kids see a dentist or orthodontist in their early teens and have their wisdom teeth evaluated, Dr. Loetscher says. Getting wisdom teeth dealt with at a younger age leads to an easier, speedier recovery time.

It also helps you avoid the dreaded “dry socket,” which occurs when the blood clot covering the extraction site breaks down, causing bone to be exposed, Dr. Loetscher explains. As you can imagine, dry socket is fairly painful.

If you’re an adult feeling pain from wisdom teeth, visit the dentist sooner rather than later to prevent an infection from becoming more severe, Dr. Loetscher says.

Finally, if you’re in pain after the surgery, and feel concerned, check in with your dentist or oral surgeon. “Some discomfort is normal,” Dr. Cuomo says, but an oral health expert can help you assess if more follow-up is required.

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What Is A Wisdom Tooth

In a normal full set of teeth, there are four wisdom teeth, also known as third molars. These are located at the back of the mouth in each of the four corners.

One result of many eons of evolution is that our jaw size has become smaller. Modern humans have a smaller jaw and less room for a full dentition. So many people suffer when the wisdom teeth try to grow into an area that has evolved to accommodate only 28 teeth. Those final four molars simply do not have room to grow normally and thrive like the others.

Wisdom teeth are a normal part of a persons dental development. Located behind the 12-year-molar, or the second molar, wisdom teeth provide additional surfaces for chewing food. Like other teeth, they can serve as attachments for bridges to hold false teeth, as anchors for partial dentures, and can develop dental diseases such as cavities and gum disease if not kept clean and free of food debris and plaque, a bacterial film that forms on all teeth daily.

Home & Natural Remedies To Relieve A Toothache

Ok. Weve already established that you need a temporary way for how to stop tooth pain fast and that you plan to get to the dentist ASAP. So, whats actually safe to use when it comes to toothache home remedies? If youre up in the middle of the night or its the weekend and you cant get your dentist on the phone, here are some safe DIY toothache pain relief options to try at home:

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Why Is My Tooth Throbbing In Pain

There are a lot of different reasons why people get toothaches. On a broad level, most tooth pain ties back to some type of inflammation, such as swollen gums or an irritated tooth nerve. Depending on the exact symptoms youre experiencing, you can better pinpoint and self-diagnose your dental problem.

Any time we experience irritation of the nerve in the root of a tooth, it can trigger discomfort. That pain might be sharp and jolting, or dull and throbbing. Symptoms might come on suddenly then go away for days, while others keep you awake at night. Finding great home remedies for toothache symptoms will get you through the night until you can find your way to the dentists office.

Here are some of the most common reasons why teeth will hurt:

Not all cavities hurt. But if they do, its normal to experience sensitivity to sweet foods or drinks. Try to tell if your pain is coming from a specific area.

If You Have Wisdom Tooth Pain Try These Seven Home Remedies Or Contact Your Dentist If Pain Persists

Key highlights

• Wisdom teeth can cause tooth pain by growing in sideways, overcrowding, or becoming impacted
• Get seven home remedies for wisdom tooth pain, including mouth rinses, ice, and over-the-counter pain medication

Few problems can bring a person to their knees like a toothacheand few teeth can hurt as bad as a wisdom tooth. Wisdom tooth pain is like no other: constant throbbing, jaw and earaches, swelling inside the mouth as well as in the cheeks and throat.

When wisdom teeth grow in between the ages of 17 and 21, many people do not have room for the wisdom teeththe third molars to fit into their mouth. When that is the case, the wisdom teeth have nowhere to go and begin to push against the roots of the other teeth or against the sides of the jaw and facial bones. The results of this constant pressure are the pain and swelling that accompany wisdom tooth growth.

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Tips For Wisdom Teeth Pain Relief

Wisdom teeth are the final set of molars to erupt from the gums. They form at the rear end of the mouth and are usually four in total, each occupying the tail end on either side of the upper and lower jaw.

Wisdom teeth pain may disappear on its own. However, sometimes it may require proactive home management or dental procedure. Ultimately, wisdom teeth extraction is the surest way to eliminate issues with a wisdom tooth. In this article, we discussed various ways to get relief from wisdom tooth pain before you get medical attention.

Impacted Wisdom Tooth Pain

When there isn’t enough room in your jaw for your wisdom teeth to erupt properly, they may grow at an angle and become impacted. Teeth can be full impacted or partially impacted .

If the tooth becomes impacted as it is erupting, it may cause pain in the adjacent tooth as it pushes against it. You might also notice that part of the tooth is poking through the gum but it seems to have stopped coming through and is continuing to hurt. Your dentist will need to take an x-ray to check what’s going on beneath the surface.

Even if a wisdom tooth does come through straight, it may put pressure on the other teeth, meaning they gradually become crowded at the front.

How Does Wisdom Tooth Pain Feel

If your wisdom teeth have yet to come through, you may be wondering what sort of discomfort to expect. Is that pain in your gums coming from a cavity or might it be from a wisdom tooth?

It could be growing pains from wisdom teeth if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• A feeling of tenderness behind your second molars
• Swollen or red gums at the affected area
• Discomfort in your jaw or mouth at the very back
• Headaches, especially common when upper wisdom teeth erupt
• A hard bump in your gum which is visibly emerging

If youre experiencing slight discomfort towards the back of your mouth and think it could be caused by wisdom teeth, you might want to just hold off for a bit to see if it resolves itself and the pain goes away. At this stage, you could try taking some over-the-counter painkillers for wisdom tooth pain recovery & relief.

This may help you get through the day but naturally, taking painkillers on a regular basis is not a good long-term solution.

One remedy you can try yourself at home for relief from wisdom tooth pain is to rinse your mouth out several times a day with warm salt water. Not only will this help kill any bacteria which may be causing an infection, but it will also loosen any particles of food that may have got stuck between your teeth and rinse them away.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Pain

The best thing for wisdom tooth pain caused by impaction or infection is often a tooth extraction. If your dentist can see that leaving the tooth in place is likely to cause further problems, they will recommend removing it.

Unfortunately, the pain doesn’t necessarily end there. Extracting third molars can be quite complicated because of the size and position of the teeth, and this often leads to swelling, pain and discomfort following the procedure.

Home Remedies For Wisdom Teeth Pain

If you prefer to use a natural remedy for wisdom teeth pain relief, salt water and clove oil are both effective.

Cloves have antibacterial, anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties. You can apply diluted clove oil directly to the painful area for quick relief. A saltwater mouth rinse is also an effective way to kill bacteria and reduce any swelling.

Another simple remedy for wisdom tooth pain is to to place a cold compress on your jaw where it hurts. This will help reduce swelling and numb the area that hurts because of your wisdom tooth.

Read more about how to use these and other home remedies for toothache.

Apply A Cold Compress

In general, there are two ways to stop or blunt toothache pain. The first involves reducing inflammation, while the second centers on interrupting the signals from the injury to the brain. You can accomplish the first goal by applying a cold pack or bag of frozen vegetables to the side of your face for 20 minutes at a time. Just be sure to use a piece of cloth as a buffer, so you dont accidentally damage your skin. This can help alleviate discomfort by blunting pain and reducing swelling.

Treating Your Cracked Tooth

Signs And Symptoms Of Wisdom Tooth Infection

A common wisdom tooth complication is infection. Also called pericoronitis, wisdom tooth infection occurs when the tooth erupts partially through the gums. This leaves an opening where food particles and bacteria can become trapped, leading to infection.

Wisdom tooth infection symptoms can vary but may include:

• Severe pain in your mouth or jaw
• Difficulty opening your mouth
• Swelling around your wisdom tooth or in your jaw
• Redness or inflammation in your gums around the wisdom tooth
• A bad taste in your mouth or bad breath
• A pus-filled abscess on your gums or around the wisdom tooth
• Lymph nodes in the neck may also become swollen

If a wisdom tooth infection is left untreated, it can spread to other teeth, jaws, and even the bloodstream. Treatment typically involves a combination of antibiotics and wisdom tooth removal.

How To Stop Tooth Pain Fast

Sometimes over-the-counter medication and at-home remedies arent enough to stop tooth pain. When youre not sure what to do for tooth pain, its time to visit a professional.

Whenever dental pain is too much to stand, emergency dental care is warranted. If the pain is severe, use your dentists emergency care line. Otherwise, schedule an examination as soon as possible, so you can get pain relief and avoid further complications.

Wisdom Tooth Pain Relief

While these steps can lessen wisdom tooth pain temporarily, the only permanent solution will likely be complete extraction of the wisdom teeth. This procedure has become fairly routine your dentist or oral surgeon will be able to fully explain the possible risks and potential benefits involved.

Wisdom tooth pain should not be taken lightly. While at-home pain management is an option for some patients, in most cases wisdom tooth extraction is the best way to alleviate wisdom tooth pain and protect your oral and overall health and well-being. As always, your dentist will be able to evaluate your specific health needs and help you decide on the best option.

Use Peppermint Tea Bags

Generally considered safe, peppermint tea bags have mild numbing properties that can ease oral pain for a short time. Most people prefer to cool their tea bags in the freezer for a couple of minutes before use. You can also apply the tea bag while its still warm and then wait for it to cool. This can create a pleasing sensation that can help take your mind off your toothache.

How To Stop Wisdom Tooth Pain

If you’re wondering how to get rid of wisdom tooth pain without visiting a dentist, you can try certain home remedies to reduce inflammation and pain. However, if your tooth keeps hurting, it’s best to visit a dentist. They will check what’s causing the pain and what, if anything, needs to be done about it.

The dentist may first administer antibiotics for tooth infection, and painkillers. NHS dentists should only remove a tooth if other options have failed. When it comes to wisdom tooth pain treatment, though, often the best option is to extract the tooth to stop the pain and prevent further infection or other problems.

The following table is an overview of how to relieve wisdom tooth pain according to the source of the pain. Below this, you’ll find more information about various home remedies that can help reduce tooth pain.