Did you know that some oral problems caused by wisdom teeth might not occur until you’re almost 30 years old? Since wisdom teeth continue to develop well past your high school and college years, adult wisdom teeth extraction in Dumont is more common than you might realize.
Benefits of Removing Wisdom Teeth (Adults)
The position of your third molars puts them at extremely high risk for infection. Even if they erupt fully into your mouth, they’re difficult to clean and more prone to harboring food or plaque residue. This situation doesn’t just make your wisdom teeth more likely to develop gum disease and cavities-it also jeopardizes the health of your adjacent teeth.
One of the biggest benefits of removing wisdom teeth as an adult is that you’re protecting the health of your surrounding smile. By preserving the integrity of your adjacent teeth, you limit the chances of requiring additional dental treatments in the future. Proactively removing troublesome wisdom teeth is an investment that protects your entire mouth.
Although most people typically have their wisdom teeth removed during high school or college, it’s not uncommon for us to treat adults in their 20s, 30s, or beyond. Since wisdom teeth take so long to develop, you might not realize that they need to be removed until you’re already grown and have a career or family of your own.
What About Recovery Time?
The average recovery time after wisdom tooth removal is just a few days, depending on the type of extraction required. Most people tell our dentist in Dumont that they only need a day or two off work, making it easy to work their oral surgery in on a long weekend, over a holiday, or even spring break if they’re a young adult coming home from college. The better you care for yourself after your dental extraction, the simpler the recovery tends to be.
For the first day, you’ll want to take things easy and keep a cold compress on the side of your face. It’s best to keep your head elevated as well. We recommend taking an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen to keep swelling down. For the first week, be sure to avoid any hard or crunchy foods, caffeine, alcohol, rigorous exercise, or irritating the extraction site with a toothbrush or aggressive rinsing. If you dislodge the clot, it could lead to a dry socket which will delay your recovery and pose unnecessary discomfort.
Symptoms of Impacted or Infected Wisdom Teeth
How can you tell if you need your wisdom teeth removed as an adult? Watch for the following warning signs:
- Swelling or inflammation behind the last tooth in your mouth
- Bad breath or foul taste coming from that area
- Food getting caught around your wisdom teeth during meals
- Sore gums
- Inflammation in your mouth or side of your face
- Jaw stiffness or discomfort
- Difficulty chewing food
Of course, the best way to screen for an impacted wisdom tooth is to have an X-ray taken. That way our Dumont dentist can see everything around the tooth and assess how it’s positioned inside of your jaw. A full-mouth panoramic X-ray will allow us to see your entire mouth and the placement of each of your wisdom teeth.
Any time we see an impacted or infected wisdom tooth, rarely-if ever-is it possible to manage the condition without removing the third molars altogether. Wisdom tooth extraction is the recommended standard of care when they are susceptible to or already experiencing decay or gum disease.
Visit Our Dentist in Dumont
Are you an adult who is experiencing symptoms of wisdom tooth infection or impaction? Contact Palisades Dental Care to reserve an exam with our dentist in Dumont. We’ll be able to answer all of your questions and provide proper guidance on what steps to take next. If your college student plans on coming home during spring break, now is the perfect time to call!
