“Toothache is not a disease, it really hurts”, this sentence is used to describe the wisdom teeth pain is most appropriate. Many people have been suffering from wisdom teeth pain that makes it difficult to sit, eat, sleep, and even talk. When the wisdom teeth begin to rebel, the most concerned question is often: How long will the pain last? To understand this question, we need to understand wisdom teeth, the causes of wisdom teeth pain, and how different conditions affect the duration of pain.
First, understand wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth, known as the third molar, usually begin to erupt around the age of 16 to 25. During this period, the human mind is close to maturity, so it is called “wisdom teeth”. However, some people may grow wisdom teeth at a later age, or even for a lifetime.
Under normal circumstances, there is one molar in the human mouth, from the front to the back, and the third molar is the wisdom tooth. However, due to the gradual degradation of the modern human jaw and the relatively small change in tooth size, many times there is not enough room in the mouth for the normal growth of wisdom teeth. This is like the original room can only live four people, must cram into the fifth person, will inevitably produce contradictions. Therefore, wisdom teeth often have a variety of problems, causing pain.
Second, the common causes of wisdom teeth pain
(1) pericoronitis of wisdom teeth
When wisdom teeth erupt incompletely, the crown of the tooth is partially covered by the gum, and a small, hard-to-clean blind pocket forms between the gum and the crown. Food debris, bacteria, etc., are easy to accumulate in this blind bag, and under the appropriate temperature and humidity, bacteria multiply and cause inflammation, which is pericoronitis of wisdom teeth. At the beginning of the inflammation, the patient may only feel a slight swelling pain, as the disease progresses, the pain will become more intense, and may be accompanied by red and swollen gums, limited mouth opening, and even increased pain when swallowing.
(2) Wisdom teeth decay
Like other teeth, wisdom teeth can suffer from decay. If the usual oral hygiene is not in place, the food residue is attached to the surface of the wisdom teeth for a long time, and bacteria will use the sugar in the food to produce acid, corrode the teeth, and form caries. When the cavity develops to a certain depth, it can stimulate the pulp nerve, causing pain. At first, the teeth may be sensitive and painful when eating hot and cold sweet and sour food, and in the later stage, there may be spontaneous pain, and the pain at night is aggravated.
(3) Impacted wisdom teeth squeeze adjacent teeth
Due to lack of space, wisdom teeth may not grow properly during eruption, but grow sideways, diagonally, or in other directions, forming impacted wisdom teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth will squeeze adjacent teeth, resulting in adjacent tooth root absorption and alveolar bone absorption, which will not only cause pain in adjacent teeth, but also may affect the health and stability of adjacent teeth. Moreover, the space between impacted wisdom teeth and adjacent teeth is also prone to impaction of food, further aggravating pain and inflammation.
(4) occlusal trauma
Even if the wisdom teeth erupt normally, if its occlusal relationship is not normal, such as too tight with the opposite jaw teeth, or there is an early contact point, it will produce excessive biting force on the wisdom teeth during the chewing process, causing occlusal trauma and causing pain. This pain is usually more noticeable during chewing, and the pain may gradually ease after stopping chewing.
Third, the duration of wisdom teeth pain under different circumstances
(1) Duration of pain caused by pericoronitis of wisdom teeth
Mild pericoronitis
If pericoronitis of wisdom teeth is in the early stage, the inflammation is relatively mild, only the gums are mildly red, swollen, painful, and there is no obvious suppuration and other symptoms. In the case of timely and correct treatment measures, such as keeping the mouth clean, using normal saline or mouthwash repeatedly to rinse the blind bag, remove food debris and bacteria, and with oral anti-inflammatory drugs (such as metronidazole, amoxicillin, etc.), the pain will generally be significantly reduced in about 3-5 days, 7-10 days can basically return to normal. However, if it is not paid attention to and not treated in time, the inflammation may further develop.
Moderate pericoronitis
When pericoronitis progresses to moderate, gingiva is obviously red and swollen, pain is aggravated, and even local suppuration occurs, accompanied by symptoms such as restricted mouth opening and swallowing pain, the treatment is relatively complicated. In addition to the above irrigation and oral anti-inflammatories, local incision and drainage may be required to drain the pus. In this case, the pain usually lasts about 1-2 weeks. And even after the pain is relieved and the inflammation subsides, it is necessary to further evaluate the situation of the wisdom teeth and consider whether to remove the wisdom teeth to prevent the recurrence of pericoronitis.
Severe pericoronitis
Severe pericoronitis may not only cause severe local symptoms, but also cause systemic symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, and lymph node enlargement. At this time, hospitalization, systemic anti-infection therapy, intravenous antibiotics, and local treatment are required. The pain may last for 2-3 weeks or longer. What is more serious is that if the inflammation is not effectively controlled, it may spread, causing serious complications such as maxillofacial space infection, which will greatly increase the difficulty of treatment and recovery time.
(2) Duration of pain caused by wisdom teeth decay
Superficial and intermediate caries
In the early stage of wisdom teeth decay, that is, shallow caries and intermediate caries, the cavity is relatively shallow and has not involved the pulp. At this time, patients generally only feel sensitive and painful teeth when eating hot and cold sweet and sour foods, and the pain lasts a short time, usually after the stimulation is removed, the pain will disappear immediately. If the filling treatment can be carried out in time, remove the bad tissue of caries, and fill the cavities with dental filling materials, the pain will be completely solved, and generally there will be no pain symptoms. From the start of treatment to return to normal, it takes about 1-2 days.
Deep caries close to pulp or pulpitis
When the decay has advanced to the point where deep caries are close to the pulp, or has already caused pulpitis, the pain becomes more severe and persistent. When deep caries approach the pulp, the patient may experience increased pain from hot and cold irritation, and the pain may last longer, and the pain may continue for some time after the irritation is removed. If pulpitis develops, the pain is more intense, often spontaneous, with increased pain at night, and the pain may radiate to the ipsilateral head and face. For this condition, if root canal treatment is chosen, it is generally necessary to visit the doctor 3-4 times, each time 1-2 weeks apart. In the course of treatment, the pain will be significantly relieved after the first visit to open the pulp drainage, but during subsequent treatment, the tooth may still have minor discomfort. The whole root canal treatment cycle takes about 1-2 months, after the treatment is completed, the tooth pain is basically gone, but the tooth crown restoration is still needed to protect the affected tooth. If root canal treatment is not performed, but wisdom teeth extraction is chosen, the pain after tooth extraction will be more obvious within 1-2 days, and then gradually reduce, about 1-2 weeks the wound basically healed, and the pain disappeared.
(3) Duration of pain caused by impacted wisdom teeth squeezing adjacent teeth
Since the compression of an impacted wisdom teeth against a neighboring tooth is an ongoing process, the pain will always be present or recurring as long as the impacted wisdom tooth is not treated. If it is only a slight squeeze, the adjacent tooth pain is mild and may appear as dull pain. However, as time goes on, the degree of compression increases, the pain of the adjacent teeth will become more and more obvious, and there may be tooth loosening and other conditions. To completely resolve the pain problem, it is usually necessary to remove impacted wisdom teeth. After tooth extraction, the adjacent teeth pain is generally more obvious within 1-2 days, and then gradually relieved, about 1-2 weeks the adjacent teeth pain basically disappeared. However, if the adjacent teeth has been severely damaged, such as more root absorption, even if the wisdom teeth is removed, the adjacent teeth may need further treatment and recovery time will be longer.
(4) Duration of pain caused by occlusal trauma
If it is a mild bite trauma, by grinding the teeth, removing early contact points, adjusting the bite relationship, the pain will generally be gradually reduced and disappear within 1-2 weeks. However, if the occlusal trauma is more serious and has caused periodontal tissue damage, in addition to tooth grinding, periodontal treatment may also be required, such as dental cleaning, scaling, etc., in this case, the pain duration may be extended to 2-4 weeks, or even longer, depending on the degree of periodontal tissue damage and treatment effect.
Four. Methods to relieve wisdom teeth pain
(1) Keep your mouth clean
Good oral hygiene is the basis for relieving wisdom tooth pain. Brush your teeth at least twice a day for no less than 3 minutes each time, and use the Pap method to ensure that all sides of your teeth are clean. Rinse your mouth immediately after meals, using water or mouthwash to remove food debris from your mouth. If possible, you can use dental floss or dental flusher to remove food debris and soft dirt from the adjacent teeth and gum gaps to reduce bacterial growth.
(2) Cold compress and hot compress
In the initial stage of wisdom tooth pain, cold compress can be used. Apply an ice pack or a cold towel to the side of your face that is in pain for 15-20 minutes at a time, 3-4 times a day. Cold compresses can constrict blood vessels and reduce inflammation and swelling, thus relieving pain. When the inflammation has been controlled and the swelling has subsided, you can change to a hot compress. Apply a hot towel or hot water bag to your face for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day. A hot compress can improve blood circulation, help inflammation dissipate, and relieve pain.
(3) Drug treatment
Under the guidance of a doctor, anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers can be taken orally to relieve pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as metronidazole, amoxicillin, etc. can inhibit bacterial growth and control inflammation; Painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen can reduce pain symptoms. However, it should be noted that drug treatment only relieves symptoms and cannot fundamentally solve the problem of wisdom teeth pain, or timely medical treatment is needed for targeted treatment.
(4) Prompt medical treatment
If the wisdom tooth pain continues to be not relieved, or there are symptoms such as increased pain, fever, and restricted mouth opening, be sure to go to a regular dental hospital or clinic in time. The doctor will clear the cause of pain through detailed examination, and then take corresponding treatment measures, such as local irrigation, incision and drainage, dental filling, root canal treatment, teeth extraction, etc., to fundamentally solve the pain problem.
Five, how to prevent wisdom tooth pain
(1) Maintain good oral hygiene habits
As mentioned earlier, keeping your mouth clean is the key to preventing wisdom tooth pain. Brush teeth, rinse mouth carefully every day, use floss or dental flusher, and regularly go to the dental hospital to clean teeth, remove dental stones and dental plaque, maintain oral health environment, reduce bacterial growth, and reduce the risk of inflammation and caries of wisdom teeth.
(2) Regular oral examination
It is recommended to have an oral exam at least once a year in order to detect the growth of wisdom teeth and potential problems in time. If the wisdom tooth is found to be impacted, caries, etc., the doctor can give reasonable suggestions according to the specific situation, such as observation, preventive removal, etc., and deal with the problem when it is not serious to avoid causing pain and other complications.
(3) Pay attention to diet
Eat less spicy, irritating food, reduce the stimulation of the gum tissue around the wisdom teeth. Eat more foods rich in vitamins and protein to enhance the body’s resistance and help prevent the occurrence of wisdom tooth inflammation. At the same time, avoid eating too hard food to prevent damage to wisdom teeth and adjacent teeth.
Conclusion
The duration of wisdom teeth pain varies depending on the cause of the pain and the severity of the condition.No matter what kind of situation, when the wisdom teeth pain, can not be ignored, to take timely and correct measures to relieve the pain, and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. At the same time, do a good job of prevention in daily life, maintain good oral hygiene habits, and regularly carry out oral examinations, so as to reduce the occurrence of wisdom tooth pain and have a healthy mouth.
If you have additional questions about wisdom teeth pain, or want to know more about specific treatment options, feel free to let me know.
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