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Wisdom Teeth

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I have three of my wisdom teeth already and the lower right one seems to be pushing through at the moment. It has been 'half in, half out' for a few months now and never caused any trouble. My last dental check up was November.

At the moment I am in exceptional pain. The whole gum area around the tooth feels (but doesn't look!) swollen and my cheek has puffed up. It aches so much and even though I've taken pain killers it simply dulls the pain rather than stops it. It hurts to chew or open my mouth.

It has only hurt for 2/3 days now and the tooth and gum haven't moved much. The gum is all split like the tooth is trying harder to push through.

I really don't know what to do. Surely if there was a problem with the wisdom tooth being impacted or infected it would have been picked up in November.

I can't recall my other three teeth hurting this much!

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If its causing this much trouble then go get it looked at asap, your dentist will probably want to take it out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mine often causes me pain - the very same one as yours in fact. My dentist always tells me to clean it often, with listerine, in order to stop it getting infected. Unfortunately, it's not infection that's the problem, it's just the damn thing growing so slowly.

    I would recommend that you go to see your dentist just in case. Even if he tells you that there's nothing he can do, at least it will put your mind at rest.

    I have found that all the usual stuff is useful though - popsicles, putting something cool against your cheek, avoiding lying on that side of your face at night, etc.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Loopi wrote:

    I have found that all the usual stuff is useful though - popsicles, putting something cool against your cheek, avoiding lying on that side of your face at night, etc.

    Sounds like the same kind of pain, yes. I've been rinsing often with salt water (read somewhere it helps?!). Thanks for the advice!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Top Tips for Wisdom Teeth:

    (should know them well enough, I get the lecture every time I dare mention mine hurt to my mum).
    • Brush it well, you may make it bleed and it may hurt but do your best to still brush it and the gum around it.
    • Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash, like someone said Listerine is an option, but many people find it too harsh for frequent use and find it makes the rest of their mouth sore, so if that's the case use another type.
    • Try not to poke it, your dirty fingers with do it no good at all
    • Get some Corsydol Gel (Active Ingredient Chlorhexadine) and rub it on as often as you like (but not for longer than a week or so). That should really help.

    Generally what makes them hurt when they are half coming through is the bugs, dirt and germs that live in your mouth and come on your foor irritating the raw skin on the gums, so brushing well, mouthwash and Corsydol will ease this a lot by keeping it all really clean.

    While seeing your Dentist is a nice idea it's not realistic for cost/practical reasons for lots of people and generally the pain will go away in 3-5 days anyway so you can consider waiting a bit first. Painkiller wise, don't forget you can take paracetamol and ibuprofen and if you time it right you can take one of them every 3/4 hours which helps.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Did they take x-rays in November? If they didn't, then they very well may have missed it. I never had any of my wisdom teeth erupt as I had to get them taken out. I'd at least call the dentist and ask what they think if not go in and see them. The oral surgeon I talked back on September said that the wisdom teeth could damage and even kill the teeth next to it if they came in wrong if I remember correctly.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It could be your surrounding gum that's infected rather than the tooth itself. If you're in so much pain, and it's showing no signs of getting better, I'd go see your dentist.

    I've had problem after problem with my wisdom teeth, and the only thing that sorted one of my gum infections out was a course of antibiotics.

    Salt water rinses are good too. Boiled, cooled water and a pinch of salt. Taste rank, but they do the trick!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    [*]Get some Corsydol Gel (Active Ingredient Chlorhexadine) and rub it on as often as you like (but not for longer than a week or so). That should really help.
    [/LIST]

    I find that anything with lidocaine as the active ingredient works well - i think there's an adult strength anbusol - 5% lidocaine(?). Or bonjela if there's any lying around.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I find that anything with lidocaine as the active ingredient works well - i think there's an adult strength anbusol - 5% lidocaine(?).


    Used that in liquid form and it didn't touch the pain.

    In the last few days it has hur far less and some of the gum flaked off today (hmm, delightful) but I've booked an appointment with the dentist anyway!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    don't want to hijack the thread, but was just about to post a similar thread before I saw this one. If your dentist say's he will take them out, will they do it under general or local?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Depends how many and what they are like, the positioning and condition etc.

    If mine ever come out that will be a general job, but plenty are done under local.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've been getting some pain from mine because they're pushing through atm :(

    It's really annoying as well because they've pushed my molars out of line, and I had a frickin brace for over a year to get them in line in the first place! But I've got a 11am emergency appointment tomorrow. Not a big fan of the dentist though :nervous:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What happened at the dentist, BumbleBee and innocent_kate?

    Three days ago my gum started to swell up where my final wisdom tooth will be, although it hasn't started to push through yet. Over the three days the swelling has got bigger, it's a cushiony/spongy lump that's taller than the tooth next to it, I can't eat on that side of my mouth and there's a constant dull ache there.

    People keep saying get it checked out with the dentist, but I don't have one and I don't particularly want to faff around trying to find one if he's going to look in my mouth, tell me to just leave it be, and charge me extortionate amounts for the privilege! So an update from you guys would be good :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    that sounds more like an abcess or infection, which would probably need to get drained... so i'd find a dentist quick!

    with regards to innocent_kates post, i totally agree, I had a brace on the nhs to fix all my teeth straight, was told I didnt have room for anymore teeth... but my wisdom teeth are still allowed to try and come thru naturally, causing my teeth to go crooked again. Bit of a waste of the nhs money, don't you think??

    ah well if i need to get them fixed again im going to the International Hospital in Beijing. Cheaper and just as clean, lol!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wildchild, that does sound a bit like an abscess which will need dealing with, slight inflammation where a tooth is coming through is pretty normal, but spongy swelling is not.

    There should be an Emergency Dental Service somewhere near you (often based in hospitals) which will see patients who aren't registered anywhere and are in pain.

    As usual, ring NHS Direct and they should give you the details for your area.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Today the swelling has been getting bigger literally by the hour. Now both sides of the gum are swollen and spongy as well as the top. It's got so big that I can't shut my mouth enough to be able to chew anything, even on the good side. It's painful rather than just achey now and Ibuprofen only dulls the pain. So I took your advice and tried to find a dentist, but stupid NHS Direct say it doesn't warrant seeing a dentist yet. I am SO upset. How much longer does it have to go on hurting before it's sufficiently bad?!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It does warrant seeing a dentist if you're in that level of pain. Magic words like it stops you eating and sleeping are good ways to get the point across.

    If you can take paracetamol that should help a little.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I went to see the dentist on Wednesday and I have a bad infection. I'm on strong antibiotics which are making me a bit woozy, but the pain has decreased daily.

    Mr Dentist said 'you have lovely teeth, the problem with people who have lovely teeth is that they usually haven't had any whipped out when young. This means when teeth want to grow in they've nowhere to go and you end up with this' *points to disgusting wisdom tooth and infection related gunk* 'come back next week we'll clean it up and make some decisions'.

    My interpretation: I need it out!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Wildchild

    http://www.nhs.uk/England/Dentists/LocalSearch.aspx

    Type your postcode in there. I've found a couple in the Durham area who will see you on an emergency basis.
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