Wisdom Tooth Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the four teeth located at the back of each dental arch. They usually appear in the late teens or early twenties and are the last adult teeth to erupt in your mouth. While not all people have these, others usually have four wisdom teeth with two at the top and two at the bottom of their mouths.

Unfortunately, when the jaw or mouth doesn't have enough room for the wisdom teeth to emerge, they become impacted. Because of this, the impacted wisdom teeth cause significant pain and discomfort, leading to swelling, infection and other complications.



If you are someone suffering from wisdom tooth pain, read on to find out more about its causes, symptoms and treatments.

There's no better way to relieve dental pain but to go to your dentist for assessment and treatment. But if you're at home, there are actually a few things that you can do to manage your discomfort and reduce swelling.

Ice pack

Ice is one of the most effective solutions to get rid of soreness, swelling, and pain. Due to the fact that the cold has a numbing effect that constricts blood vessels and reduces circulation, applying ice to the painful area significantly helps reduce swelling.

Apply an ice pack on your sore jaw for up to 15 minutes or at regular intervals until the pain subsides. You can even swill on some ice water if that's more helpful to you.

Pain reliever

If you’re experiencing pain from your wisdom teeth, the first step is to see a dentist. Your dentist can diagnose any underlying issues and determine the best course of action. However, you may also find relief from over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol), and naproxen (Aleve), which are all easily available and effective in reducing pain and inflammation.

Saltwater Rinse

Saltwater contains magnesium, zinc, iron, and potassium which are known to lessen inflammation, and speed up sores, cuts, and scrapes. Along with this, it also has natural disinfectant properties that can help reduce the spread of bacteria causing infection.



Pain can occasionally be brought on by an accumulation of bacteria in the damaged gum tissue surrounding wisdom teeth. Hence, rinsing with salt water may therefore aid in lessening your discomfort.

To make your saltwater rinse, all you need is to dissolve a few tablespoons of salt into a glass of warm water. Rinse the affected area by gargling it around your mouth for a few minutes before spitting it out. Since salt is a natural mineral with no side effects, you can repeat this process two to three times a day until the swelling has been reduced.

Clove Oil

Clove oil contains eugenol, an active ingredient that helps reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and soothe sore muscles. It also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce swelling and irritation in the affected area.

When using clove oil, you can follow these steps:

• Put a few drops of clove oil on a cotton ball
• Place the cotton ball on the area that is causing pain
• Keep the cotton ball in place until the pain eases up

If you prefer using a whole clove, follow these steps:



• Put the clove over the painful wisdom tooth
• Without chewing, close your mouth to keep the clove in place
• Spit it out once your tooth pain subsides

Sleep in an Elevated Position

Sleeping in an elevated position will most likely lessen the blood flow going through your head. Thus, it should offer you enough relief and help you fall back asleep. This technique is useful when the pain occurs at night and there are no clinics available to assist you.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

Getting your wisdom tooth removed is one of the best options to stop the pain from worsening. In fact, many dentists recommend that wisdom teeth removal should be done while they are still developing or when recovery from surgery is quicker. This is the reason why some young adults choose to remove their wisdom teeth before they start to cause issues.

Some other reasons why you should get your wisdom tooth removed also include:



• Pain
• Pericoronitis or soft tissue infection in the lower third molars
• Cyst development
• Tumors
• Damage to surrounding teeth
• Gum disease
• Extensive tooth decay

How long will wisdom tooth pain last?

While most impacted wisdom teeth are not painful, others can usually cause an on and off pain for years. It's natural to worry about experiencing post-surgical pain if your wisdom teeth caused you discomfort before extraction. However, it's important to remember that the purpose of your wisdom teeth removal is to eliminate the pain, discomfort, and potential infection associated with them. Thus, any pain experienced after the procedure is only temporary and should subside soon with proper care and treatment.



You may experience major discomfort in the first few days after your initial operation. Some common side effects include soreness, swelling, and bleeding which could last for 2 to 4 weeks, following your wisdom teeth removal. Although discomfort will initially be severe, it should go better as time passes while the underlying bone may take up to six months to completely recover.

How do you know if wisdom tooth pain is serious?

Wisdom tooth pain is something that commonly affects people at varying degrees of severity, ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain. At times, you may not even notice it because there's no pain at all. Where the wisdom tooth emerges, discomfort can arise at the back of the mouth either on the upper jaw or the lower jaw. Sometimes only one tooth will hurt, and other times several teeth can hurt simultaneously. While this is not something to worry about that much, some indications that your wisdom tooth pain is serious includes:

• persistent pain
• swollen gums
• painful gums
• sore jaw
• bleeding gums

If one of these appears besides your dental pain, you should see your dentist right away.

Should I be worried if my wisdom tooth hurts?

There are many different reasons why you are experiencing so much pain in your wisdom teeth. While it may simply be because they are growing, you might also have other tooth problems such as cavities, impacted wisdom teeth, a developing cyst, or a gum disease that's causing you to feel throbbing pain. If you notice that your tooth pain never goes away for quite some time, you should visit your dentist and have your teeth checked as soon as possible.

How do I know if my tooth pain is from wisdom teeth?

Wisdom tooth usually erupts during early adulthood when a person reaches 17 to 21 years old. Although there shouldn't be any issues while they grow, once they get stuck in the jaw or under the gums, you'll notice the persistent pain coming from the back of your mouth and behind your molars.

At times, you'll even have swollen gums, have difficulty opening your mouth, teeth aches when you bite, or experience bad taste in your mouth. You'll also have problems brushing and flossing properly because the area where your wisdom tooth grows is just too painful.



However, if you are unsure about the source of your tooth pain or discomfort, it is best to seek advice from your dentist or healthcare professional. They will be able to examine whether your pain is coming from your wisdom teeth or not.

Increased blood circulation

You might not be aware of it but your sleeping position is responsible for your toothaches being more painful at night. When you lie down, more blood rushes to your head, increasing pressure on delicate places like the mouth. This is the reason why you don't feel throbbing pain as much when you are in standing or sitting positions.

Less Distractions

When our minds are relaxed and when there are less distractions around, we tend to become more conscious to physical sensations in our body. This is what happens to us at night, especially when we are about to sleep. We tend to believe that our tooth aches badly when in reality it's just the same pain we experience during the day.

Late night eating

If you are fond at eating late night snacks, you shouldn't be surprised why your wisdom teeth cause so much pain at night. Whenever you eat, your teeth becomes exposed to bacteria buildup caused by plaque.



Plaque is a sticky film that forms when bacteria in the mouth combine with sugars and starches from leftover food. When you don't brush your teeth, plaque builds up, hardens into tartar, and causes bacteria to thrive. In worst cases, you may end up having tooth decay and even gum disease.

Grinding teeth at night

Clenching your jaw and grinding your teeth unconsciously at night may also be another factor why your wisdom teeth is more painful during the night. Bruxism or teeth grinding is a condition that occurs to people involuntarily. While it also occurs when someone is awake, it most commonly happens when a person is asleep, causing tooth pain the next day.

Can wisdom teeth pain go away and come back?

Similar to other teeth, wisdom teeth also need to emerge through the gums to erupt properly, which may result in mild discomfort and soreness from time to time. Depending on how your wisdom teeth grows and which area is affected, it may take a month, a year or several years to fully emerge. This means that the pain may last for a few days and disappear for a few weeks or months before coming back.

Why does wisdom tooth hurt so much?

As soon as the wisdom teeth or third molars erupt, they begin pushing through the gum tissue filled with nerves, causing pain and discomfort on the person who has it. Yet, for many people, eruption through the gums is not always the problem but impacted wisdom teeth. Usually, crowding results in an impacted wisdom tooth. The tooth cannot erupt correctly because the jaw is not large enough to accommodate it. So when the teeth erupts at the wrong angle, it becomes impacted or caught in the gums. As a result, pain is radiated to the surrounding teeth.

Does wisdom tooth pain ever go away on its own?

Pain in the wisdom teeth may usually go away on its own if the problem is temporary and not severe. But if it is an impacted wisdom tooth that is causing pain, swollen gums, tooth decay, infections, and bleeding, then it requires professional dental treatment or even surgery.

It's important to consult a dentist for any persistent pain or swelling in the wisdom teeth area to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.

What day is wisdom tooth pain the worst?

After getting your wisdom teeth removed, pain will usually subside 3 to 4 days after, with day 3 usually being the most uncomfortable and painful. During this time, the pain should subside and be replaced with just soreness, which means that it may even be difficult for you to open your mouth.

Keep your oral health in check and be sure to follow your dentist’s post-operative care instructions. Avoid brushing the part where you got your wisdom teeth removed. Rinse your mouth using warm saltwater or a mild mouthwash.



And since it may take a couple of weeks before your gums completely heal, you'll need to avoid certain activities that may be too strenuous such as lifting and exercise. Meanwhile, it's important to maintain a healthy diet by eating soft nourishing foods and staying hydrated.

How to tell the difference between wisdom teeth pain and cavity pain?

When it comes to pain in your teeth, it can be difficult to tell the difference between wisdom teeth and cavity pain. So here are a few tips to help distinguish between the two.

First, it is important to pay attention to where your pain is located. Wisdom teeth pain typically occurs at the back of your mouth near your molars. On the other hand, cavity pain is usually felt closer to the front of your teeth and gums.

Next, pay attention to how the pain feels. Wisdom teeth pain is often dull and throbbing, while cavity pain is more focused on sensitivity, and which commonly goes with a stinging sensation when chewing food.



When you have an impacted wisdom tooth, swelling in your face, jaw pain, sore throat, and even bad breath are all evident even if you are not doing anything. But with cavity pain, your teeth will only hurt when you eat or drink something hot, cold, or sweet.

Takeaway

Experiencing pain in the wisdom teeth can be very difficult to deal with. The physical pain and discomfort associated with the eruption of wisdom teeth can be intense, and the discomfort can last for days, weeks, or even longer. Regardless of how severe the pain is, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible to check for infection, inflammation, or other dental complications before they get worse.

Mawson Dental Care has four decades of experience in providing all types of dental treatments including wisdom tooth removal. Our dental team specialises in providing you with the best treatment for your condition to ensure that your wisdom teeth are safely removed with minimal pain and discomfort. Book your appointment with us today for a quick and effective solution to your wisdom tooth pain.