Wisdom Teeth
Sometimes there may not be enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth. As they start to emerge, they may push against the teeth already in place or come through at an angle. When this happens, you might experience pain or discomfort, so the best thing to do is visit us here at Hanwell Smiles. Our dentist will likely take an x-ray of your mouth to assess how, or if, your wisdom teeth are coming through. From this, they will be able to determine whether or not to extract them and evaluate how easy or difficult the procedure might be.
Extractions
Taking a tooth out is the same as having an operation and, because of this, you must look after the area to speed healing and to reduce the risk of infection. Here are some pointers: Your dentist may have given you some gauze to place onto the area where the tooth has been removed – if not, a clean cloth handkerchief will do just as well (but not a paper tissue).
- Roll the gauze or handkerchief into a small, firm pad large enough to cover the gap (approximately 1cm by 3cm).
- Sit up and gently clear away any blood clots around the gap using the gauze or hanky.
- Place the clean pad over the gap (from the tongue side to the cheek side) and bite down firmly for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the pad and check if the bleeding has stopped. If it hasn’t, apply a fresh pad and contact your dentist.