What to do if you suddenly find that your wisdom tooth is growing ? It depends on how the process goes. Do you experience pain or discomfort, do other problems appear. Most of the teeth (28) in a person grow in childhood, and the remaining 4 erupt much later. It is the fact that they grow up between the ages of 17 and 40, and determines their name - wisdom teeth. They are at the end of each row and in dentistry are indicated by the number 8.
What is so unusual about how a wisdom tooth grows? Unlike the others, he does not have a milk predecessor. Most of the problems and painful sensations arising from its appearance, which almost always comes as a surprise, are connected with this.
The main danger is that a new tooth is squeezed into a fully formed jaw, constraining its neighbors. Often this entails a curvature of the dentition, and this is not just a cosmetic defect. In addition to losing a beautiful smile, this phenomenon causes difficulties with effective cleaning of the oral cavity and leads to an increased risk of tooth decay.
A frequent complication is local inflammation and discomfort. People complain that the gum in the wisdom tooth is very sore, and this pain can subside, then flare up with renewed vigor for several months or even years. A cyst that cannot be cured without the intervention of a dental surgeon may also develop.
Unlike others, a wisdom tooth grows very slowly, sometimes stopping in the process for months and years, while above it there remains a part of the gum, hanging like a hood, under which particles of food accumulate. A warm and humid environment promotes the growth of bacteria that cause inflammation, sometimes very serious. Such a disease is called pericoronitis. Symptoms include pain and swelling in the gums, bad breath and an unusual taste. If these signs appear, you need to contact a dentist.
As for the direction, the wisdom tooth grows not always evenly - sometimes its upper edge rests on the cheek. When talking and eating, he injures the place of contact with the mucous membrane. Unhealed sores may occur at the site of damage, causing severe inconvenience.
And it happens that a wisdom tooth does not grow, forms and remains in the gums, but it is still the cause of problems: it damages the roots of its neighbors and provokes neuralgic pain. Such abnormal teeth usually have to be removed.
How can you help yourself?
- Frequent massage. The more often you touch the gum, the faster the tooth erupts. This is due to increased blood supply and a corresponding acceleration of the process. If the sensations are too painful, then do not self-medicate - perhaps inflammation has begun and it is necessary to fight it under the supervision of a doctor.
- Special means. Among the pharmacological preparations, there are those that are designed to facilitate the process of the appearance of teeth in children. For adults, they are also suitable (Holisal, Kamistad, etc.). They relieve pain, sometimes disinfect.
- Ethnoscience. In general, wisdom teeth were considered “bad” among the people and most often they were advised to remove them. The teething time itself was facilitated by such means:
- Salt water: a teaspoon of table salt in half a glass of water. Rinse as discomfort occurs.
- Lard: Rinse a small piece of ready-made salted pork fat with salt and attach to a sore gum.
- Sage: brew a pinch of grass in a glass of water. Once the boiling water has cooled to a temperature that you can tolerate, rinse your mouth with infusion. You can repeat the procedure several times a day.
- Acupuncture: massage the tips of the ears, pressing on them with the thumb and forefinger from different sides.