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Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a Hadleigh Dental Surgery dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Hadleigh Dental Surgery to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at Hadleigh Dental Surgery if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your Hadleigh Dental Surgery dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at Hadleigh Dental Surgery as soon as possible.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01473 823092.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Hadleigh Dental Surgery. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

908 Reviews

5.0

14th September 2025

As always on-time, well informed, extremely clean surroundings and of course very friendly staff.Thank you

KT

Kim Thirlby

I recently visited Hadleigh Dental for the first time and had a wide range of treatment carried out (root canal, cap, filling and extraction). I was treated by Philip Wilson and Gurps Singh and was really impressed with the quality of service provided by them and their assistants. They clearly had excellent technical knowledge and both went to considerable trouble to explain the treatment needed before commencing work and to summarise how it had gone afterwards. I've no hesitation whatever in recommending them!

12th September 2025

I had a range of treatments carried out by two dentists at the same practice, having moved to the practice very recently. They were both exceptionally good at diagnosing what my issues were, explaining exactly what needed to done and carrying out the treatment effectively. As the work was carried out they explained what they were doing and summarised it afterwards. I was particularly impressed that photos were taken at each stage of my root canal treatment and that they were used to help me understand the process afterwards. The dentists' technical competence was evident and their manner reassuring. Highly recommended!

12th September 2025

Good practitioners and environment and can always find a suitable appointment.

12th September 2025

Louisa is the best hygienist I’ve ever had

12th September 2025

Care always given by the dentist, staff and Hygienist. Always explained what is happening and if there are any concerns. Feeling comfortable while having treatment.

12th September 2025

Easy to get to, well presented premises; reception efficient; on time; good care from dentist and hygienist; clear plan for next treatment; easy to make follow up appointments

11th September 2025

I have been with the surgery for 40 years and never have to wait more than a few minutes for my appointment. Everyone there are very nice , efficient and professional.

10th September 2025

I have always been treated with respect and care.

10th September 2025

Mr Wilson has been my dentist for many years and he has seen me through some difficult times. I could not have wished for anyone better.

10th September 2025

Very professional. Easy

10th September 2025

Mr Wilson was very sensitive to my nervousness and low pain threshold! He explained everything and then gave clear instructions in how to use tools to improve dental hygiene.

5th September 2025

Professional and friendly. Lovely environment.

4th September 2025

Was easy to deal with.

3rd September 2025

Always friendly staff and clinician. Kept to time and updated on general dental health as part of the visit.

3rd September 2025

Promptness of appointment keeping, explanation of options, future possible needs, and I've known the clinician for 30 years!

2nd September 2025

All the staff are friendly, polite, helpful and knowledgeable, very easy to deal with and always great service.

30th August 2025

The staff are all fantastic you always get a call the day before to confirm your appointment l would not go anywhere else for my dental treatment.

29th August 2025

The skill and professionalism of Philip Wilson and the high level of service provided by the reception staff.

VS

Vav Scott

I was refered through my own dentist for a filling causing me pain, I needed root canal treatment that the NHS wouldn't touch (the NHS only offered to pull the tooth) Dr Singh saw me for both appointments I had, one for assessment and another for the root canal itself. Him and everyone at the practice from reception to the other Dentists? Dental assistants? were kind, understanding, and on the ball. They took time to explain everything I asked about as well as keeping me up to date outside of my appointments and on what they were doing during my root canal. The place was clean, and tidy too. I am very happy with the treatment I recieved, and could not recommend him and the others here more. Professional all the way through :)

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