Wisdom teeth can be a cause for concern for many Australians and can come about quite suddenly. For most people, wisdom teeth can start to become apparent from the ages of 18 all the way to 30 years of age when the wisdom teeth start to push through the gum line.
If there isn’t enough room for these teeth to move up this is when it can start to become painful. It is worthy noting that not everyone will feel the impact of wisdom teeth, and generally speaking a dentist will only look to remove them if there is cause for concern.
Wisdom teeth symptoms
There are a few common signs that you may have a gum infection caused by your wisdom teeth.
- Inflamed gums
- Pain and/or swelling
- Pus
- Bad breath
- Fever
Wisdom teeth can be more troublesome than regular teeth due to their location and propensity to capture food. This causes them to become easily infected.
Ways to improve infections
If you have any of the above symptoms, there are a few things you can do to try to improve the infection.
- Increase how regularly you brush and floss.
- Improve the focus of your cleaning to the area of concern
- Book an appointment with your dentist to clean the area and or prescribe antibiotics to reduce the infection. We recommend you rely on oral solutions from the dentists in Alhambra.
Even if you have the perfect brushing routine, where you use the best teeth whitening kits, floss and brush regularly you can still experience some of the below problems due to the placement of your wisdom teeth.
- Impacted food
- Gum disease
- Abscesses
- Cavities
These problems usually occur due to their location and in particular when they are partially visible through the gum line. This is when standard oral health care and hygiene does not work as well. Brushing and flossing will struggle to get to and remove the food caught around and under the gums. It is when this food is not removed it can cause bacteria and inflammation to occur.
If these treatments do not work or if symptoms come back we suggest speaking further to a health professional as there could be further issues that are impacting your recovery, such as a lower than normal immune system.
How to improve your oral hygiene
Regular brushing
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day will directly improve your oral hygiene. It removes any build up of food that if left could lead to creation of bacteria and diseases. It is a simple step that can be underestimated.
Using a soft toothbrush is advised as this allows you to brush your gums without damaging them. It is also just as important to use your toothbrush to brush your tongue. Brushing your tongue can feel weird at first, but it will do wonders for reducing symptoms of bad breath as your tongue can hold bacteria.
Floss regularly
Whenever you brush your teeth you should also floss. Flossing can reduce inflammation as it helps to remove food debris caught in hard to reach places which brushing can fail to remove. Do not floss to vigorously though as you don’t want to cause damage to your gums.
Mouth wash
Adding mouthwash into your daily routine will reduce the bacteria levels in your mouth. If you have an infection your dentist may prescribe a specific antibacterial mouthwash to help reduce your existing inflammation. However, there are also over the counter options available.
If the above oral hygiene tips don’t seem to help your symptoms, or they get worse, there could be another reason associated with the problems you are experiencing. The best thing to do if this is the case is contact your local GP or Dentist for a more indepth check up.