When wisdom teeth are impacted – meaning they’re unable to completely emerge from beneath the gums – they can cause various problems. The most common symptom is pain, and it’s usually reason enough for an extraction. However, it should also be noted that impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to several health issues. Here are some of the dangers of wisdom teeth that don’t erupt properly.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Even under the best of circumstances, wisdom teeth can be tricky to brush and floss since they’re located at the very back of the mouth. If a wisdom tooth is impacted, then cleaning it will be even more difficult. Consequently, you’ll be at a much higher risk for an infection around the area in question. In particular, you may eventually develop gum disease, which is when harmful bacteria attack your gum tissues and cause inflammation.
Additionally, if you’re unable to clean a wisdom tooth, there’s a good chance that it might start to decay. Cavities in impacted teeth tend to be particularly difficult to treat, and they can eventually affect other teeth if they aren’t dealt with in time.
Damage to the Rest of Your Smile
Because there often isn’t enough room in the mouth for them, wisdom teeth sometimes grow at odd angles, causing them to push against other teeth. In some cases, they might even cause serious damage to the roots, thus putting the teeth in question in danger.
Additionally, your wisdom teeth could cause the rest of your smile to move out of alignment. You’ll often be left with crooked teeth that may require orthodontic attention. If you want to avoid this type of issue, then you should have something done about your impacted wisdom teeth as soon as possible.
Ulcers
Another consequence of impacted wisdom teeth growing at the wrong angle is that they can sometimes rub against the inside of your cheek. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it can eventually cause an ulcer to form. Most of the time, ulcers will heal on their own; however, they might keep forming if nothing is done about your wisdom teeth.
Cysts
In some cases, a fluid-filled sac called a cyst might form around an impacted wisdom tooth. Some cysts are benign while others have the potential to lead to serious oral health issues. If you notice a cyst, then you should have it examined immediately.
In short, impacted wisdom teeth can have a negative effect on your health in a variety of ways. For this reason, it’s highly recommended that you have them extracted as soon as you can.
About the Practice
At South Florida Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, our highly experienced oral surgeons are available and on-call 24 hours a day so that you can get the care you need as soon as possible if there’s an emergency. Wisdom tooth extraction is one of the many procedures that we offer at our Jupiter office. To schedule a consultation with our team, visit our website or call (561) 743-8311.