Question: How long do I wait before I go to the dentist to get my wisdom teeth out?
I have 'flare ups' every six months or so, where for 5 or 6 days one or more of my wisdom teeth will get swollen or sore (they're juuuuust under my gums; the little tips peek out), and then the pain goes away. My dentist tells me every time he looks at my X-Rays that as long as my Wisdom Teeth don't bother me, why have surgery? I'm totally inclined to agree.
But this week, my lower left wisdom tooth has hurt more than ever. And the side of my cheek right there is all cut up, as if half of the wisdom tooth is trying to poke up through it, not fitting all underneath the gum. Yuck. I can eat on that side, but only soft things (nothing crunchy or OUCH). So, I'm basically looking for reassurance from:
A. Girls who have been through the same thing, and it's no big deal, it hurts now and then and just goes away; or
B. Girls who have had the surgery and can tell me I'm just being a big baby because it's actually a total picnic.
Unrealistic much?
Snowflake08
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
mine are impacted but dentist says they are fine if not hurting me - they hurt (not bad) every time aunt flo comes to visit - kinda weird
i would have them out only if you need it you may only need that one taken out, not all 4
MayBride08
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I had the same thing that you had, where it hurt every once in a while, but then I had one incident where my whole left side of my mouth was in pain, swollen and infected. My dentist recommended I got them taken out right away, so I went about two days later. Only one side of my mouth was really being affected, but they went ahead and took out all four since I would be under already anyway.
The whole ordeal for me was extremely simple and easy.. I was able to leave the oral surgeon myself and took the subway home, I was in little pain, hardly had any swelling and I got to eat ice cream and take Vicoden for a few days.. but I know I probably just got really lucky...
Espo22
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I don't know, i've been having the same problem for a while
JSPocket
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I've had all 4 of my wisdom teeth out. They never really bothered me but I was told if I left them alone they would become a major problem later. I got two taken in one surgery and then the other two taken out 6 months later. It really wasn't that bad at all. I had novocaine and sweet air (that stuff is AWESOME). The oral surgeon gave me some pain killers but I didn't need to take them after the first day. Also, FH just had his out over the summer and it went very smoothly. I wouldn't worry about the surgery. I absolutely HATE the dentist and I have to say it's really not that terrible.
DavaDay
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Thanks so much for sharing. And what you're saying doesn't sound so bad at all! I'm just a big baby about doctors, dentists, etc. and never had surgery / anesthesia and the idea kind of freaks me out. But usually, when my W Teeth hurt like this it goes away in 4 or 5 days. I'm on day 3 now, so we'll see...
Thanks again for sharing your experiences.
smjack
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Posted by JSPocket
I've had all 4 of my wisdom teeth out. They never really bothered me but I was told if I left them alone they would become a major problem later. I got two taken in one surgery and then the other two taken out 6 months later. It really wasn't that bad at all. I had novocaine and sweet air (that stuff is AWESOME). The oral surgeon gave me some pain killers but I didn't need to take them after the first day. Also, FH just had his out over the summer and it went very smoothly. I wouldn't worry about the surgery. I absolutely HATE the dentist and I have to say it's really not that terrible.
I was told the same thing about my wisdom teeth....they were impacted and if left alone, they would start to shift my teeth and make them crooked and cause other problems as well. I have had one out so far, and it was not all that bad, but it did suck. I am just wating for my dental insurance to kick in to get the other three out, although I am not complaining about the wait
Julybride08
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I have 3. They took out one cause it was infected. They used to hurt when they started to come in. But now that there all the way in they don't bother me at all.
DonnaM
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I know. . .I have the opposite problem. My dentist told me ( i have all 4 impacted) that I should take them out. . .but (knock on wood) they do not bother me whatsoever. . .so I am just going to let them be!
Soon2BMrsD
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
all 4 of mine were impacted (growing into the bone and HAVE to be taken out) so i went in was told id be back to normal the next day just a little swelling... so i went in they took them out.. i woke up from the anasteshia (sp?) but became extreamly sick from it.. turns out i have a slight allergy to it and will be sick every time i get it.. so i was throwing up for 4 days and popped most of the stiches and had to get them fixed. also my surgen did a horriable job... he left pieces of the bone in there and i kept spitting them out for almost a year after and i still have a slight hole also gave me too much novicane in my jaw so i had lock jaw for quite a few weeks was eating nothing but baby food and liquids. i do not reccommend him at all (hes in dix hills).. ive heard that its a really easy simple surgery. i had a very bad experience and was out of commission for over a week. but everone i know was back to normal the next day just had some swelling and very little pain! theres always one and its usually me i look back and laugh now
tara08
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I know a great dentist on long island.. fm me if you want to know.. But for myself I have the flare ups and have decided to live with them until they become unbearable... i am a big chicken.
SoontobeMrsH
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
mine were removed last April, I used a surgen in the city.... wait it had to be eariler than April, b/c I was able to see the gates from the office(He's in Central Park South, I'll share info if you want it)..
I had another issue, szo my surgery was complicated, but I was fine w/in a week, good luck & feel better
Mrs. V 2008
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I would go in soon! I had mine done also, and they didn't bother me...but at one point the were so impacted and growing in incorrectly so quickly that my dentist told me to have it right away before it got any worse, this could complicate the surgery
Jumbles
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I work for a dentist ... and i have alittle advice take them all out at once get knocked out you may have a little swelling but it is better to have it all done at once, if your having flare ups your probable catching food particles under your gum and infecting the area and until they are out it wont stop , in the meantime rinse w/ warm salt water and keep the area clean it should help for now
LuvMyAlfonse
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
I had all mine taken out the day after Thanksgiving. I had anesthesia though.... Wasn't too bad afterwards - I had NO swelling at all b/c I iced the sh!t out of my face after. Ice, ice, ice...
I say get it done all at once, you will be sore though for a while. No BJs for your FH for at least two weeks!
eddies girl
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Posted by LuvMyAlfonse
I had all mine taken out the day after Thanksgiving. I had anesthesia though.... Wasn't too bad afterwards - I had NO swelling at all b/c I iced the sh!t out of my face after. Ice, ice, ice...
I say get it done all at once, you will be sore though for a while. No BJs for your FH for at least two weeks!
yeah i choose option b--dont be a baby lol...i got all 4 of mine out and they numbed it with needles and everything was fine...my ortho told me to take them out bc they can shift ur teeth and i didnt wear braces for nothing
cds58019
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Awww Dava I sooo know what you're going through.
I had all 4 of mine remover over the summer because of teh same reason. They would bother me every so often and I found that, somehow, I was biting the sides of my mouth (Not sure how this was happening since they were only slightly through the gum.)
I was so scared b/c I am such a baby when it comes to pain. But my oral surgeon was amazing. He knocked me out for it and when I woke up I had no pain whatsoever. I was so scared that my face was going to swell up and I'd look like a chipmunk or something but it didnt. I didnt ice it or anything. I was on Vicodin (sp?) for about 6 days just b/c I didnt want to take a chance of having to deal with pain while I was at work.
My holes healed so well too. You can't even tell there used to be teeth there.
If you're gonig through the pain, even if it's not all the time, it's still worth it to get done. A few days of uncomfortableness is better then dealing with it on and off for the rest of your life. Let me know if you want the info for my oral surgeon, I highly recommend him. Good luck!
DavaDay
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Posted by nikki1025
I work for a dentist ... and i have alittle advice take them all out at once get knocked out you may have a little swelling but it is better to have it all done at once, if your having flare ups your probable catching food particles under your gum and infecting the area and until they are out it wont stop , in the meantime rinse w/ warm salt water and keep the area clean it should help for now
Hey, I've always wondered what made them flare up like that. Little food particles under the gum makes a lot of sense, esp. because my gum is all lumpy there because the tooth is just kind of poking out a little. (TMI? Sorry).
Thanks to everyone else too for the avice and the well wishes. I found that one advil every 5 or 6 hours is enough to make it stop hurting completely, so it's really not too bad anymore. I just can't figure out why the side of my cheek is all bitten up as well (but thought it was interesting that one of you posted that the same thing happened to you! maybe it hurts a lot in my sleep and I'm clenching my jaw or something?)
megzzie
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
It's so funny that you mentioned this because I just went to the dentist on Sunday because I was in pain. I figured it was a wisdom tooth coming in, but I wanted to double-check. I was right, my lower left wisdom tooth is coming in and he said it's coming in a little crooked, but it's nothing to worry about. He said he rather not do surgery, especially since it's not even all the way in yet, and I totally agree with him. He said I feel pain partially because it's growing in weird, but mostly because (as one of the girls has mentioned already) bacteria/food can get stuck underneath and build up pressure. He told me to gargle with salt water and that should help. I've tried that, and so far it's working because I feel a lot better.
HTH!
LaurenF
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Re: Wisdom Teeth
Hey Dava----just get them out. I had all four taken out at the same time and I found it to be alot more pleasant than I thought it would be. I mean, don't get me wrong- it's not something I would recommend if you didn't have to get it done, but who needs the aggravation every time they flare up? Unless they're impacted and all screwed up, it should be fairly painless.
