Swelling on the wisdom tooth area can create an issue for you both before and after the removal of wisdom teeth. Sometimes when wisdom teeth erupt, they move the other teeth from their place, leading to inflammation and overcrowding.
Causes of Swollen Wisdom Teeth
1. Impacted wisdom teeth: This is one of the most common causes of swelling in wisdom teeth. This happens when the erupting wisdom teeth don’t get enough space due to blockage from the jawbone or neighboring teeth. This can result in the formation of cysts or fluid pockets, and in severe cases, it can lead to tumors. When the tooth roots grow and become firm, the chances of wisdom tooth swelling become higher.
2. Dental Trauma or Infection: In cases when wisdom teeth erupt normally and easily come through the gumline, there will still be some sort of inflammation, redness, and pain around the tooth area. Wisdom tooth swelling is your body’s natural response to trauma. After an injury, or when wisdom teeth are erupting, our body tries to bring red blood cells and other essential nutrients to the impacted site. When small blood vessels inflate to send the blood to the affected area, you will experience discomfort and swelling nearby the wisdom teeth.
3. Gum Irritation: When wisdom teeth emerge, the gum tissues become irritated, and the stuck food pieces can further distress the gums. The result is more swelling around the erupted teeth.
Reducing the Swelling
- If the swelling around your wisdom teeth is caused by stuck food pieces, rinse your mouth with a mouthwash or warm saltwater. This technique can remove the lodged particles and clean your mouth to get rid of pain and inflammation. Saltwater is a disinfectant that helps remove mouth bacteria.
- Another great way to get relief from swelling is applying a cold compress in the cheeks outside the swollen wisdom teeth. Apply the compress for 15 minutes, then wait for 15 minutes and repeat. Keep doing this throughout the day until the swelling lessens.
- You can also ease the pain and discomfort with over-the-counter pain medication that contains anti-inflammatory properties. This way, you would be able to easily eat, talk, open your jaw and carry out your daily chores.
- Placing a nicely damped tea bag in the swollen tooth area can also help minimize the pain and swelling. The tannic acid found in tea bags helps kill germs and bacteria and brings down inflammation.
Other Complications
Bruising and swelling are common problems that come up with wisdom tooth extraction. Removing impacted wisdom teeth is major surgery and can lead to severe complications. Applying ice packs, OTC pain relievers, and saltwater rinse can help reduce the swelling.
Visit Your Dentist
If following the home remedies to minimize wisdom teeth swelling is not making your condition any better, schedule an appointment with your nearby dentist. If you live in Cypress, Texas, or nearby areas, call our dental office at (832)-427-6620.