Maintaining your dental health mainly involves proper and regular brushing, flossing, and the occasional professional teeth cleaning. You may also need to undergo smile correction procedures, like getting a dental brace, bridge or crown, and even Lumineer installation in Fort Lauderdale.

While almost everyone understands the importance of these services, they don’t usually pay attention to wisdom tooth removal simply because they think it isn’t necessary. This is a mistake.

Some think that wisdom teeth that emerge between the ages of 17 and 21 are useful when it comes to eating meat, roots, and vegetables raw. However, some believe that this third set of molars doesn’t always serve a special purpose. Sometimes, the wisdom teeth even crowd the other teeth and cause an array of issues if left alone.

This is why many dental clinics today offer to extract wisdom teeth. Even if the tooth itself isn’t decayed or damaged, it can still lead to certain problems that later affect your life.

To determine if it’s time for a wisdom tooth removal in Fort Lauderdale, you must be on the lookout for these six signs:

Impacted Teeth

Some people experience impacted wisdom teeth, which occurs when the third set of molars lack enough space to develop normally. If this is the case, the wisdom tooth comes out crooked because there isn’t enough space for it to grow into.

Many cases involving this matter lead to the wisdom teeth growing at an odd angle different from the rest of the teeth, causing tenderness, jaw pain, swelling or stiffness, gum infections, soreness or bleeding, halitosis, and teeth damage.

To prevent more severe problems, impacted wisdom teeth should be extracted as soon as possible. If left alone longer, they may cause issues with your jaw, which can be more challenging to deal with.

However, keep in mind that some cases of impacted wisdom teeth don’t come with any symptoms, so visiting your dentist for regular oral checkups can be quite useful in detecting issues early.

Overcrowding

Although impacted teeth can cause stiffness of the jaw and gum swelling, it may also be a sign of overcrowding due to wisdom teeth growth.

Some people have third molars that take up too much space in the mouth. When overcrowding occurs, the originally straight teeth surrounding them may begin to shift. This is something that would be difficult to treat using dental braces since there’s really no room left for the teeth to move around in.

With shifted teeth, you might experience problems on your gums, one tooth may push forward and crowd another, and infections caused by food debris may even occur, which is hard to remove due to the constricted space.

If it cannot be adjusted because of the lack of space, then the only solution is to make room by removing the wisdom teeth.

Crooked Teeth

For some people, the growth of their wisdom teeth is what causes them to have crooked teeth. This is also related to overcrowding.

If the wisdom teeth emerge to join the rest and there isn’t enough space for them, they may cause the other teeth to move over one another and shift into odd angles. This may even lead to tooth damage.

While there are several known theories about why wisdom teeth grow sideways or emerge crooked, the most probable one is that the jaws aren’t really made to accommodate a third molar. Since there’s insufficient room there, the new growth will find other ways to emerge – sometimes sideways, other times skewed.

Of course, crooked teeth can be corrected with orthodontic treatment. But for it to be effective, you must first have your wisdom teeth removed to allow more room for movement.

Difficulty with Eating

Misalignment, crookedness, and overcrowding that result from the wisdom teeth growth may also cause pain when you open and close your mouth. With this comes eating difficulties as well.

Aching gums, teeth and jaws are a sign that you need your wisdom teeth taken out. You may also experience unpleasant tastes in your mouth that might make it hard to enjoy the food you eat.

Plus, there’s also the possibility of tooth decay, particularly in your molars, since food debris cannot be cleaned well enough when brushing. Your dentist may recommend products to remedy the problem, but if it cannot be resolved, wisdom teeth extraction may be the only option left.

Cysts and Infection

If left unchecked, impacted, overcrowded, or crooked third molars may lead to cysts and other benign tumors in the jaw. While these may not be cancerous, the sacs of fluid that accumulate may infect nearby teeth and damage their roots. In some cases, this can even result in bone destruction – a rare situation, of course.

The growth of wisdom teeth can have a big impact on cleaning surfaces where bacteria can hide. If they push the adjacent molar forward, it may leave spaces that cannot be easily cleaned during regular toothbrushing.

This increases the risk of cavities since food debris that feeds plaque-causing bacteria isn’t removed immediately.

If the gums become irritated, pockets may develop in between the teeth where bacteria can grow. This may promote cavity development and cause an infection called pericoronitis.

Be on the lookout for the following symptoms of gum disease and infection:

• Fever
• Bleeding, tender gums
• Swelling and pain
• Pus coming from the gum
• Swelling or soreness of the lymph glands under the jaw
• Difficulty swallowing or opening of the mouth

Sinus Problems

Did you know that some issues with your sinuses may be related to your wisdom teeth, too?

There are certain cases when the wisdom teeth grow through the upper jaw. If this happens, the roots rub and push against the sinuses, putting pressure on them.

While this is a bit uncommon, it is still possible for your wisdom teeth to cause sinus pain, headaches, pressure, and congestions.

For the Greater Good of Your Teeth

Wisdom teeth don’t always cause problems, so there are instances when you can let them be. But if they do cause issues and you find the signs listed in this article, there’s no other solution but to have them taken out. Regular visits to the dentist should help determine the best course of action for the greater good of your teeth.