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Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a Castle Park Dental Care dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Castle Park Dental Care to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at Castle Park Dental Care if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01482 770597.

Patient Reviews

Why our patients love Castle Park Dental

Here's some of the recent feedback from our amazing patients

Patient reviews

576 Reviews

5.0

27th March 2025

As a nervous patient I am always anxious but each member of staff always put me at my ease and are extremely patient and keep me informed every step of the way.

27th March 2025

Great all-round service.

26th March 2025

A highly professional practice with attention to patient care

24th March 2025

I was treated with care and courtesy and the treatment was (as far as I can tell) excellent. I was given the time needed even though I believe this exceeded the scheduled time.

24th March 2025

every one so nice and hepfull very clean andrew is so good he listen to what you want and tells you what he going to do

24th March 2025

Friendliness of staff. Fill expiration of the treatment to be carried out. Post treatment ‘housekeeping’ to ensure procedure was a success

23rd March 2025

You are treated by people who care

21st March 2025

welcoming, clean, peaceful, nice staff who are great at what they do

21st March 2025

Well trained, state of the art treatment, very satisfied

LC

Luke C

Friendly, helpful and attentive care. The staff team are great and very focused on delivering comfortable support. The waiting area is relaxed and well equipped

SO

Sue Ormston

Brilliant service as ever . Broken tooth fixed perfectly !

AL

Alice Levantiz

I had a brilliant experience at castle dental and would recommend them to anyone. I went in really self conscious about my teeth and have left feeling super confident with my new smile thanks to ozge and the team. I felt well informed about the appointments that I was having and I really appreciated the team fitting in with quite a tight time frame for me so it would all be done for my wedding. All appointments I was seen on time and experienced no pain in any of the procedures - thanks for everything :)

27th January 2025

I have already recommended friends to your practice

24th January 2025

excellent treatment

24th January 2025

The dentist was calm, reassuring and efficient. I have experienced no problems since.

21st January 2025

The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff and the confidence I have in the person treating me.

18th January 2025

All of the Dental staff explained to me what was and Going to happen and the treatment was pain free

16th January 2025

The whole team from the reception staff to the hygienist & the different dentists I've seen in the last 2 years have all been faultless. Cannot be happier.

16th January 2025

You are treated like an individual with courtesy, care and respect. Visiting Castle Park Dental Care is the first time in my life (I’m 58) that I don’t feel scared

30th December 2024

We rate the quality of staff and the treatment given very highly

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