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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 Guildford Dental Centre 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 Guildford Dental Centre 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 Guildford Dental Centre 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.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your Guildford Dental Centre dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at Guildford Dental Centre as soon as possible.

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 01483 535220.

Meet the team

Dr Jonathan Tan

Dentist

GDC NO. 75185

Dr Derek Whittle

Dentist

GDC NO. 78743

Dr Kavitha Sivasubramaniam

Dentist

GDC NO. 85899

Dr Chhavi Sharma

Dentist - with special interest in restorative and cosmetic dentistry

GDC NO. 136825

Dr Daniel Dascalescu

Dentist with special interest in Endodontics

GDC NO. 101652

Dr Aradhana Bhimalingham

Dentist

GDC NO. 109760

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Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Guildford Dental Centre. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

513 Reviews

5.0

4th December 2024

Suitable appointment,date and time.On time start to appointment.Dentist very approachable.Nurse and receptionist competent.

27th November 2024

Does what it says on the tin!

21st November 2024

The dentist I saw was very understanding and not at all condescending about my fears. She took steps to be professional, objective and fully explain the procedure, potential problems and preferred outcome. Her approach and thoughtfulness has made me much less anxious about future visits for which I am very grateful.

19th November 2024

Caring ,helpful and competent staff from the receptionist to the hygienist!Highly recommended!

19th November 2024

I have been with the practice for over 33 years and have always valued their expert and professional service over those years.

14th November 2024

Great experience in every way.Booking online was so easy, and I got an appointment at a time that suited me very quickly. Mr Whittle was excellent as always, and the reception team made the whole experience extremely straightforward too. Thanks!

12th November 2024

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11th November 2024

I have been Guildford dental care for more than 20 years. The service and care have been excellent

5th November 2024

Superb service, explained in full detail,easy to book .

31st October 2024

The excellent skills of Dr Tan and his knowledge dealing with complicated dental issues fills me with confidence, his staff and team are wonderful. All in all faultless.

RW

Ryan Wai

I highly recommend this clinic! Have done wisdom tooth extraction and root canal treatment recently. Dr Tan, Alexandra and receptionists were very professional, helpful and kind! Thank you!!

25th October 2024

competence, courtesy, helpful staff

25th October 2024

i originally selected the practice due to a high level of anxiety about dental care and Dr Chavvi has been so very kind and patient. She explains everything in detail and always checks in during the procedure to make sure I'm doing ok. I feel very safe and looked after by her, and fully trust her. She has renewed my confidence completely!

24th October 2024

I have always been very well looked after by the team. Prof Haers recommended I switch to this practice years ago and Terry McNulty looked after me for some years before retirement. Derek Whittle took over and I have been just as well looked after by him. 100% happy patient.

24th October 2024

I am always very happy with all aspects of me dental treatment. All the staff are friendly and helpful

21st October 2024

Very polite, friendly staff and convenience of location for me

18th October 2024

Good treatment

13th October 2024

I trust, respect and like the dentist Derek Whittle.

CS

Craig Scott

Always a very professional experience by a very friendly team.

20th September 2024

The dentist is excellent,efficient and very pleasant. The receptionists are also very pleasant.

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