What’s the Real Story About Wisdom Teeth

/in /by

It seems that almost everyone has their wisdom teeth removed these days.

It’s almost a “rite of passage” to adulthood. However, some folks don’t even get wisdom teeth. In others, the appearance of wisdom teeth is delayed until the mid-20s. Finally, in some people, wisdom teeth arrive straight and perfectly formed, causing no problems at all. All are possibilities.

Here at Chloe Dental in Katy and Houston, Texas, we monitor a child’s teeth and gums before those last molars begin to appear. Our practice focuses onfamily dentistry, and we pride ourselves on developing lasting relationships with our patients, so we often call upon family history to at least partially predict a child’s potential problems with wisdom teeth.

Common Problems with Wisdom Teeth
The four most common reasons for pulling those last large molars include:

Swollen Gums
Although a child’s wisdom teeth form in the gum between the ages of seven and 11, they typically do not begin to erupt in the mouth until sometime after age 17. Dental X-rays may be crucial in identifying problems during the early teen years. We can closely monitor the ongoing development of your child’s wisdom teeth.

Crowded or Crooked Teeth
Some children’s jaws are simply too short to accommodate that third set of molars. As they grow and begin to erupt, they will crowd existing teeth and force other molars out of place. For that reason alone, it may be wise to schedule wisdom tooth removal.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth
The third molars are typically located far back in the gum, and they are difficult to brush and floss properly. Some dentists routinely recommend pulling even well-aligned wisdom teeth. Be sure to discuss all options with a trusted dental practitioner. Removingimpacted wisdom teeth is usually a surgical procedure.

Pain and Difficulty Chewing
Remote ancestors may have needed the extra molars to chew tough meat and bones. Not so much, today. Any pain that is related to wisdom teeth is reason enough to eliminate them.

Dedicated to Family Dentistry
The husband and wife team at Chloe Dental has the expertise and modern facilities to make true family dental services a reality.Call us today to discover how we can best serve your family.

Signs You Need to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

/1 Comment/in /by

Have you been wondering if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed? If so, your dentist in Houston, TX, can help by looking at them and making a recommendation. But first, let’s take a look at some of the signs indicating you might need your wisdom teeth removed.

Signs You Need to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

If you are experiencing any of the following, please let your dentist know because these dental issues could mean you need wisdom teeth removal in Houston, TX.

  • Pain
  • Gum Disease
  • Repeated Infections
  • Cysts (fluid-filled sacs on your gums)
  • Extensive Tooth Decay
  • Tumors
  • Tooth Damage

What If Your Wisdom Teeth Are Healthy?

But what if your wisdom teeth are healthy? Do you still need to have them removed? Well, that depends on your specific situation and what your dentist recommends for you. However, there are problems that could occur at some point even if your wisdom teeth are currently healthy.

Three Instances When You Might Need to Remove Healthy Wisdom Teeth

1. Impacted Within Your Jaw

If your wisdom teeth have grown in underneath your gums and can’t erupt normally, they can become impacted within your jaw. This can cause infection or other damage to your teeth, roots, and bone.

2. Partially Emerged Through Gums

When your wisdom teeth are only partially grown in, it can make that area hard to clean, resulting in gum disease and reoccurring infections.

3. Crowd Your Surrounding Teeth

If your wisdom teeth don’t have enough room to grow in properly, they will crowd your surrounding teeth. This can cause damage to your surrounding teeth leading to other dental issues.

What’s Next?

If you need a dentist in Houston, TX, please Contact Chloe Dental today. We deliver the highest quality services and the most advanced dental care in the area. And you will love our warm, welcoming, and comfortable environment.

4 Signs You Need to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

/1 Comment/in /by

Do you know if you need to have your wisdom teeth removed? Your dentist in Katy, TX will have the experience and the equipment necessary to answer that question. However, until then, let’s talk about the signs that indicate you might need to have your wisdom teeth removed.

Four Signs You Need to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed

1. Swollen Gums

If you have swollen gums, it might indicate your wisdom teeth are trying to come in or are potentially causing other problems. Additionally, if your wisdom teeth are growing in the wrong direction, that means they won’t break through your gums correctly. This will continue to cause you pain until you get them removed.

2. Teeth Crowding

Another common issue with wisdom teeth is teeth crowding. This is when your wisdom teeth are larger than your other teeth and your mouth simply doesn’t have room for them. And if you let them continue to grow, they will, at some point, cause your existing teeth to move. This will result in them becoming crooked, causing various bite issues, or other problems.

3. Extreme Pain

Extreme oral pain is a clear indication of a problem, especially if that pain doesn’t go away after you’ve brushed, flossed, and taken painkillers. If the pain you are experiencing is radiating from the back of your mouth where your wisdom teeth are, and if you feel as if something is pushing on your teeth, you should see your dentist in Katy, TX immediately.

4. Jaw Problems

If you suddenly find you can’t open or close your jaws properly, you might need to see an oral surgeon in Katy, TX to have your wisdom teeth removed. Additionally, if you can’t open and close your jaws properly, that will affect your ability to chew and digest your food, not to mention it will usually cause you pain.

Do You Need a Dentist in Katy, TX?

If you need a dentist in Katy, TX, please Contact Chloe Dental today. We have the best technology and equipment available. We would love to personalize a treatment plan specifically for you so you can get your oral health back to normal as soon as possible.

 

6 Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery Tips

/36 Comments/in /by

Read on to discover the best wisdom teeth removal recovery tips to ensure a smooth-sailing recovery after your surgery here.

Did you know that every year, five million Americans undergo wisdom teeth removal? Or that 10 million wisdom teeth get extracted each year?

That’s right!

Granted, not all wisdom teeth require extraction. However, this is often necessary for 12% of truly impacted teeth. Moreover, around 10% of third molars develop an infection.

In these cases, more serious conditions like cysts may be present. These impacted teeth can also cause damage to the adjacent teeth.

If you need to get a wisdom tooth removed, it’s likely you feel worried about the surgery. Don’t be, as there are several wisdom teeth removal recovery tips that you can follow. With these, you can prevent the potential side effects of the procedure.

Ready to learn all about what to do after wisdom teeth removal? Then keep reading, as that’s exactly what we’ll share with you in this post!

What to Expect After the Extraction of Your Wisdom Tooth

To remove an impacted wisdom tooth, your dentist may need to make an incision in your gums. This will allow the surgeon to get to the roots of your affected tooth and properly pull it out.

This makes wisdom tooth removal a minimally-invasive process. It’s still surgery though, so it’s best to set your expectations and prepare for some pain and swelling

Nausea from the Local Anesthesia

Wisdom teeth removal is an out-patient type of oral surgery. Still, the dentist needs to apply local anesthesia, the effects of which may last until the next day.

If you have dental anxiety, talk to your oral surgeon about sedation dentistry. This can make you feel more at ease and comfortable throughout the procedure.

Local anesthesia allergy is extremely rare, with a study finding that it occurs in only 0.5% of patients. It may still cause some side effects though, such as nausea and vomiting. Your mouth may also continue to feel numb a few hours after the surgery.
That said, it’s best to have someone go with you to your wisdom teeth removal. This way, they can assist and support you in case you still feel dizzy from the anesthesia.

Possible Pain and Swelling in the Gums

Once the effects of the anesthesia wear off, you may start to feel some pain and swelling in your cheeks. Again, don’t worry, as this is a normal part of the wisdom teeth recovery process. Both the pain and inflammation will subside in a few days.

Bleeding from the Extraction Site

It’s normal for the gums where your wisdom tooth used to be to bleed right after the procedure. This should only last for the first few hours though. Blood clots will soon form — within the first 24 hours — after your surgery.

Wisdom Teeth Removal Recovery Tips: What to Do for Proper and Faster Healing

Having your wisdom tooth removed doesn’t have to be scary nor does it have to be super painful. Just make sure you follow these tips on what to do after wisdom teeth removal so you can heal faster.

1. Bite Down Gently on a Gauze Pad

Your dentist may ask you to bite down on a gauze pad to stop the bleeding in the extraction site. Doing so also helps form blood clots in the gums faster. Blood clots are vital to your recovery, as they protect the exposed bone and the wound from infection.

Make sure that you bite down gently though, so as not to reopen the wound. You may also have to bite down on the pad for five minutes or so until the bleeding stops.

2. Ice It

Wisdom teeth removal pain relief strategies often include icing the jaw and cheek. This also helps ease the bruising and swelling that may follow your surgery.

Apply an ice pack to the side of the extraction site for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, take the ice pack off and let your face rest for 20 minutes before icing it again. Do this as much as possible for the first 36 to 48 hours after your procedure.

3. Follow Your Dentist’s Pain Medication Prescription

Depending on your pain tolerance, ibuprofen like Advil may be enough for wisdom teeth removal pain relief. If not, then be sure to follow your dentist’s prescription for stronger pain killers.

You may also have to take antibiotics to combat and prevent infections. However, you should complete the prescribed dosage even if the swelling has gone down. Stop the treatment too soon, and the bacteria in your mouth can become resistant to the drugs.

4. Make Sure Your Mouth Stays Clean

Your dentist may allow you to brush your teeth on the same night of your surgery. Be very gentle when brushing the area nearest the extraction site though. This will help keep the blood clot from becoming dislodged.

You may rinse your mouth the day after the surgery. For this, use warm salt water instead of commercial rinses, which can be too strong. Do this at least five times a day, especially after every meal.

5. Stick to Soft Foods

A nutritious diet is even more important after getting your wisdom teeth removed. Nutrient-packed meals will help ease swelling and reduce the risks of complications. These meals will also hasten your body’s wound-healing process.
Since you have a wound though, you should stick to soft and easy-to-chew foods. These include blended soups, broths, mashed vegetables, avocados, and Jell-O.

6. Rest as Much as You Can

You can resume your usual activities after the procedure, but make sure to get plenty of rest. Your body will heal faster by doing so. Do your best to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep too.

Enough sleep, especially right after the surgery, can help reduce swelling. That’s because you’re demanding less from your heart, which then leads to a drop in your blood pressure. This reduced pressure then results in reduced strain on your blood vessels.

A study has also confirmed that proper sleep speeds up the body’s healing process. Injured patients who slept normally took only 4.2 days to completely heal. Whereas those who lacked sleep took almost a day more to fully recover from their injuries.

What You Shouldn’t Do During Your Wisdom Teeth Recovery

If there are things you can do for proper wisdom teeth aftercare, there are also some that you should avoid.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the don’ts after wisdom teeth removal.

Drink Alcoholic Beverages

Alcohol can kill “the good” bacteria in your mouth while allowing the bad ones to remain. When this happens, it can impede your healing. With more bad bacteria in your mouth, your surgical wound is at a higher risk of infections.

That said, skip the alcohol for at least 48 hours after having your wisdom tooth removed. If possible, don’t drink any alcoholic beverages for a week until you’re 100% healed.

Eat Sugary Candies (Even the Soft or Chewy Ones)

Avoid eating any type of sugary candy, be it the hard ones (like lollipops) or caramels. These foods contain a lot of sugar, which the bad bacteria in your mouth love to feast on. Eating these sweets will speed up the formation of plaque on your teeth and gums.

Remember: you need to be extra gentle when brushing after the surgery. If you eat sugary stuff, you may not be able to remove the small bits that get stuck on your teeth. The bacteria will multiply, and your wound may end up getting infected.

Dine on Hard or Crunchy Foods

Potato chips, nuts, and cereals should be off your meal plan during your recovery. They can pierce your gums and re-open your surgical wound. When this happens, it’ll take more time for you to completely heal from your operation.

Smoke Cigarettes or Use Electronic Cigarettes

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. These chemicals can irritate and even cause serious infections to your wound.

You should also avoid using electronic cigarettes, as they can also dry your mouth. Not having enough saliva can irritate your gums and increase its risk for infections.

If you smoke or use e-cigarettes, avoid them for at least the next 48 hours after your surgery. Better yet, do your best to quit. Smoking not only causes tooth discoloration — it also makes you more prone to gum diseases.

Follow These Tips for Faster Recovery After Wisdom Tooth Removal

There you have it, the ultimate list of must-follow wisdom teeth removal recovery tips. Although severe complications are very rare, you still want to heal as fast as you can. So, be sure to keep these dos and don’ts in mind following your wisdom tooth extraction.

Still worried about getting your wisdom tooth removed and the possible side effects? Don’t worry, as our team here at Chloe Dental can help ensure your speedy recovery! Get in touch with us now so you can schedule your wisdom tooth removal ASAP.