If you are here, you have a decayed wisdom tooth. You need to know the main dangers of a decayed wisdom tooth and how to deal with it. It is true that a decayed and untreated wisdom tooth can cause much more serious oral problems such as the formation of a dental abscess due to an infection that has worsened. Dental abscesses can have serious health consequences because the infection can reach vital organs.
Here is a guide to the major dangers of a decayed wisdom tooth and how to deal with it quickly.
What is a decayed wisdom tooth
Semi-included wisdom teeth have a particularly visible part in the mouth and under the gums. They are therefore more likely to decay than other teeth. In addition, they are located at the bottom which makes them much more difficult to clean. As a result, food residues and bacteria that get trapped between the gums and the partially erupted tooth develop more quickly. This is why it is sometimes difficult to treat cavities in wisdom teeth.
The main causes of a decayed wisdom tooth
1) The natural fragility of the tooth
There are teeth that are naturally resistant to tooth decay and others that decay very easily depending on your dental genetics. Tooth enamel is very resistant to decay, while root dentin is very fragile to decay. This is why when we get older, and our teeth are very loose, we start to have a lot of cavities on the roots of our teeth.
2) Bad diet
Sugar and acid are factors that destroy tooth enamel. Indeed, there is a lot of sugar in sodas, soft drinks and sauces. If you are young, you tend to consume a lot of sweets, which leads to a high risk of having a decayed wisdom tooth by the age of 15. Eating a good diet consisting of minimally processed foods will greatly contribute to the health of your teeth.
3) Dental hygiene
Bacteria eat sugar, and their excrement is acid. It is therefore important to prevent them from sticking to the teeth. Bacteria alone or disorganized, are not very dangerous. But, after a while, they stick together and form dental plaque. Their way of organizing themselves to concentrate the acid that will dissolve your enamel. That's why brushing your teeth properly with an effective toothbrush and flossing at least once a day will definitely help prevent tooth decay.
For a complete brushing of your teeth, you can use the Y-Brush toothbrush. It is a sonic toothbrush that has several vibration modes. The vibration mode will take into account your dental sensitivity in case of decayed wisdom teeth.
The symptoms of a decayed wisdom tooth
Impacted wisdom teeth can be asymptomatic but the most common symptoms are :
- Red or swollen gums
- Painful gums around the periphery of the wisdom teeth
- Severe pain in the jaw
- Swelling in the jaw
- An unpleasant taste in the mouth with bad breath
- Wisdom teeth or an adjacent tooth that is painful
Post-procedure solutions to reduce the pain of a decayed wisdom tooth
Using cloves
Clove is an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. It is particularly effective in case of a decayed wisdom tooth. You can therefore use it to reduce your pain while waiting for an appointment with your dentist. The principle of use is simple: just crush a clove between your fingers and apply it for a few minutes on the painful area where the decayed wisdom tooth is located.
Use a salt water mouthwash
Salt has a decongestant effect. It is therefore well used when a wisdom tooth is red, painful and swollen. The recipe for this mouthwash is particularly simple: Start by boiling a cup of water. As soon as the water is lukewarm, dilute a tablespoon of coarse salt in it. Do not hesitate to repeat this mouthwash several times a day to reduce the inflammation. You can continue after the extraction on the advice of the dentist.
Extraction of the decayed wisdom tooth
When the second molar is decayed and one of your wisdom teeth is stuck too close, it is difficult to treat the decay properly. The wisdom tooth must be extracted in order to treat the decayed molar.
The process of wisdom tooth extraction :
Wisdom tooth extraction is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis within a few hours. However, if you are afraid, you can ask for a general anesthesia. This requires hospitalization but does not exceed two days of surgery. In addition, an anesthesia consultation before the operation is essential. The tooth is usually extracted in one session. The dentist first cuts the gum and then removes the wisdom tooth by cutting through the bone. Sometimes it is necessary to cut the tooth into several pieces. The gum is then closed with absorbable sutures that disappear in less than 3 weeks. When they are responsible for irritation or infection, you simply contact the surgeon who removes them manually. You should know that the procedure generally takes no longer than thirty minutes. The most complicated days for you will be those following the procedure.
Things to do to avoid post-extraction complications
Eat a healthy diet
Changing your diet will not directly alleviate dental pain, but it will not make it worse. During the first 2-3 days after wisdom teeth extraction you should eat a healthy diet by eating only soft, liquid and cold foods. Then, for the next 2 days, you can try warm and more consistent foods. Then return to a normal diet.
Use ice to ease the pain
In the 24 hours following the operation, you can put an ice pack. It will help soothe your toothache and reduce the swelling of your cheeks after the removal of your lower jaw wisdom teeth. If you don't have an ice pack, you can simply use ice cubes to put on your cheek for at least 15-20 minutes.
We hope this guide has helped you understand what a decayed wisdom tooth really is. We also hope that it has helped you understand why you have a decayed wisdom tooth. All of the post-procedure and post-extraction solutions will help you get the maximum pain relief possible so that you can get better from this oral problem as soon as possible.
