Follow us on
It can be so tempting to ignore pain of any kind in the hope that it will disappear of its own volition. As dentists, we understand that visiting the dentist isn’t people’s favourite pastime..! However, in this blog we want to dispel the school of thought that dental care is something to dread, and that when you look up ‘tooth extraction Derby’ you can expect Ashbourne Road to provide a stress-free and patient experience.
Below, we will specifically be looking at why it’s never a good idea to ignore wisdom tooth pain, and why swift action is always in your best interests. Ultimately, ignoring wisdom tooth pain can lead to a chain reaction of unpleasant symptoms and chronic dental problems.
Your wisdom teeth are also known as your third molars, located at the back of your mouth.
Generally, they erupt in later life between the ages of 17 and 25, but it’s not uncommon to develop wisdom teeth when you’re much older – the oldest person on record to develop wisdom teeth was 94 years old!
Wisdom teeth can be difficult to floss and brush due to their tucked away location in the mouth. It’s common to develop infections and gum disease around your wisdom teeth. Meanwhile, when they come through they can erupt at awkward angles, causing overcrowding in your mouth, leading to food particles becoming stuck around them.
Yep, they’re a bit of a flaw in our oral anatomy…!
It can be really easy to miss wisdom tooth pain, particularly if you weren’t already aware that these teeth can cause complications later on in your adult life.
Let’s expand on some of the issues that can occur when wisdom tooth pain is ignored and untreated.
Tooth crowding
If your wisdom teeth have fully erupted at an awkward angle, tooth crowding can go on to cause a negative domino effect on other teeth.
If there is insufficient room in the jaw for your wisdom teeth to exist harmoniously with your other existing adult teeth, tooth misalignment and tooth crowding can occur over time.
This could result in the need for orthodontic treatment to:
Intense and persistent pain
Once a wisdom tooth becomes impacted, infection can set in, bringing with it some pain so intense, that it can stop you from going about your day.
Nerve damage is also a risk of wisdom tooth complications. In some circumstances, this can cause a tingling or numbness in the gums, teeth, lips, or tongue. Whilst this is rarely permanent, you should NEVER ignore any loss of sensation or tingling in your mouth.
Dental decay
Ignoring wisdom tooth pain can begin to affect other teeth. Once decay sets in, there is a significant risk that this will spread to neighbouring teeth. Not only does decay put you at risk of cavities (and therefore further dental infections), but it is also the first step in a chain reaction that can potentially end with further tooth loss/extractions.
Principal Dentist of Ashbourne Road Dental Dr Dawud Ahmad
Q. Is wisdom tooth extraction painful?
A. Dr Dawud. We take every measure to maximise our patients’ comfort and to ease any nerves they might have. Everything is governed by the patient – if they need a break or want to stop, we will only resume again if we are confident they feel safe and relaxed.
You will be given a local anaesthetic to numb the area around the tooth. We perform a thorough check to ensure you cannot feel anything before we begin the extraction process.
Our dentists are skilled injectors; you will only feel light-to-moderate pressure when the anaesthetic is administered. We use special equipment to keep the risk of post-procedure complications to a minimum.
Q. What can be mistaken for wisdom tooth pain?
A. Dr Dawud. Wisdom tooth pain can masquerade as jaw pain, placing pressure on the TMJ joint (the main jaw joint on the side of the face). This pain may feel a little like an allergy or sinus infection.
If the source of the pain feels at all ambiguous, please contact us. Wisdom tooth pain can escalate quickly, so it’s important that a diagnosis be made as early as possible.
Q. Why should patients choose Ashbourne Road Dental after looking up ‘tooth extraction Derby’ in Google?
A. Dr Dawud. We are committed to performing complicaiton-free tooth extractions for patients, and the equipment we use facilitates this. Our disinfection protocols are extremely rigid, and we use some of the best magnification loupes on the market to help the clinical team to identify any microscopic issue that could hinder the extraction process.
Our dentists have a compassionate chair-side manner that immedietly helps patients to feel relaxed when they come in to see us. It’s a privilage to have the people of Derby put their trust in our team time and time again, and it’s a privilige we never take for granted.
Our dentists recognise that the idea of a tooth extraction can be anxiety-inducing for patients, particularly those who have a profound fear of the dentist.
We pride ourselves on helping many patients overturn this fear. Our person-centred and compassionate approach has helped to break down the barrier in place for many anxious patients. By engaging in open and honest communication with our patients about what to expect, we seek to build trust and mutual respect.
Our years of collective experience has given way to the observation that much of the fear patients experience originates from not having been briefed prior to a treatment, or not being listened to before and during a procedure.
At Ashbourne Road Dental, we will only go ahead with a wisdom tooth extraction once we are confident that you are hesitation-free about the process.
Contact Ashbourne Road Dental right away when you experience wisdom tooth pain. We have a number of emergency appointment slots available each day, allowing our experienced dentists to address the issue as soon as possible.
Back to Blog
Proudly serving patients throughout Derby, Derbyshire private and NHS.
“Best dentist I’ve been to! The staff are all so friendly and welcoming. Lovely new waiting room. Went for a...”
“Compelled to give this practice another 5 stars after, once again, fantastic service. I had dental pain whilst on holiday,...”
“Brilliant service, top quality. The hygiene and, specifically, the cleanliness is excellent. I was made to feel comfortable and at...”
“A fantastic experience from start to finish. The service has always been friendly, personal and efficient, from those in reception...”
“Absolutely amazing. I have never been more at ease with a dental procedure. I have autism and ADHD and have...”
“Best dentist I’ve been to! The staff are all so friendly and welcoming. Lovely new waiting room. Went for a...”
“Compelled to give this practice another 5 stars after, once again, fantastic service. I had dental pain whilst on holiday,...”
“Brilliant service, top quality. The hygiene and, specifically, the cleanliness is excellent. I was made to feel comfortable and at...”
“A fantastic experience from start to finish. The service has always been friendly, personal and efficient, from those in reception...”
“Absolutely amazing. I have never been more at ease with a dental procedure. I have autism and ADHD and have...”
