Your third molars, called wisdom teeth, emerge in your jaw in the late teens by 21. Eruption of wisdom teeth is a regular occurrence after all your other teeth erupt. Unfortunately, late eruption happens when insufficient space is available in your jaw to accommodate them, making them erupt at awkward angles or remain impacted under the gum line.
Many people have all four wisdom teeth erupting normally. However, the same is not the case for everyone because impacted wisdom teeth are more common and often recommended removal by a dentist near you to prevent problems in the mouth. Tooth removal might seem frightening but getting problematic wisdom teeth removed after receiving a suggestion from the dentist is better than confronting the challenges and expenses wisdom teeth will heap upon you.
Problems Wisdom Teeth can Make You Encounter
Your wisdom teeth are positioned in the back of your mouth, where you might find it difficult to brush and floss them, leaving food debris and plaque unremoved. Excess plaque remaining on your teeth invites your mouth bacteria to start working and create infections like tooth decay and gum disease. In addition, improper cleaning of wisdom teeth victimizes your mouth because the bacteria within can attack any part of your mouth.
Retaining your wisdom teeth will make you a frequent visitor to the family dentist in Mesa, seeking remedies for the infections affecting you. For example, you might need fillings for cavities or treatment for conditions like gingivitis that slowly progresses to periodontitis if left untreated. When the dentist notices the root cause of the problem, the wisdom teeth, they recommend their removal for freedom from the infections and unnecessary expenditure you indulge in frequently.
Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction Painful?
Wisdom tooth extraction will cause immense pain if you try to have it removed without sufficient anesthesia from the dentist. Wisdom teeth removal, especially the impacted ones, requires surgical removal by making incisions in your gums and even splitting the tooth into pieces for comfortable removal. Therefore besides giving you local anesthesia in the mouth, dentists also offer sedation to ensure you experience no pain or anxiety during the procedure.
The Mesa dentist completes wisdom teeth removal in approximately 40 minutes and places gauze on the surgical site to help prevent bleeding and aid the formation of a blood clot. They also provide instructions to safeguard the blood clot as best as possible for quick recovery.
You will experience discomfort after the anesthesia wears off, but the dentist suggests using a prescription or over-the-counter painkillers for relief. If you follow the aftercare instructions of the dentist in Mesa stringently, you can start indulging in your regular activities in approximately 72 hours. However, you must pay particular attention to dental care, ensuring you make all efforts to safeguard the blood clot to prevent severe pain and irritation if you dislodge it.
Is Mouthwash Use Permitted after Wisdom Teeth Removal?
When indulging in caring for your mouth, you might think you can use mouthwash brands purchased over the counter to keep your mouth clean after brushing and flossing. While mouthwash is suggested for daily use as a dental hygiene product, your dentist suggests not using mouthwash after wisdom tooth removal or at least 24 hours after the procedure.
Dentists have a specific reason for suggesting not to use mouthwash after the surgical removal of a wisdom tooth. Store-bought mouthwash brands contain 20 percent alcohol making it harmful to the blood clot at the surgical site. When providing aftercare instructions, dentists suggest not smoking or consuming alcohol after Wisdom teeth extraction. The reason for the suggestion or to safeguard the blood clot from dislodging. Mouthwash brands containing alcohol also cause similar problems and help dislodge the blood clot making you a victim of a dry socket, causing severe irritation and pain besides needing sedative dressings and additional care from the dentist in Mesa.
If dental care concerns you, the dentist suggests using warm salt water to rinse your mouth at least three to four times per day to keep it clean. You might find alcohol-free mouthwash brands in drugstores that you think are safe. However, you should obtain a suggestion from the dentist before trying out brands to avoid unnecessary complications in your mouth after undergoing a painful procedure to extract a problematic tooth causing frequent infections in the mouth.
If you are undergoing wisdom teeth extraction, the experienced dentists from U Smile Family Dentistry can advise and guide you on the best course of action and care after removing the tooth. Consulting with this practice helps complete and recover from this process comfortably without complications.