Wisdom Tooth Pain: Causes, Relief and When to Call

Why does my wisdom tooth hurt?

Wisdom tooth pain usually comes from a tooth that doesn’t have room to come in fully, or from infected gum tissue around it.

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to come in, usually between ages 17 and 21, though some arrive as late as 25. Mild discomfort while one comes through can be normal, but if it actually hurts, the American Dental Association advises seeing a dentist promptly. Common causes of pain include:

• Impaction. The tooth is trapped in the jaw or under the gum, often because there isn’t enough room or it’s coming in at an angle.
• Pericoronitis. A flap of gum over a partly erupted tooth traps food and bacteria and becomes inflamed or infected.
• Decay. Food gets stuck around wisdom teeth, and they’re hard to clean, so cavities can form.
• Gum disease around the wisdom tooth or the molar next to it.
• Damage to a neighboring tooth when a wisdom tooth pushes against it.
• A cyst. Less often, a fluid-filled sac forms around the tooth and can damage nearby roots or bone.

What does an infected wisdom tooth feel like?

An infected wisdom tooth usually causes pain and swelling at the back of the mouth, often with a bad taste, bad breath or trouble opening your mouth.

Pericoronitis can be mild and come and go, or it can flare suddenly with severe pain, swelling, pus and fever. It most often affects lower wisdom teeth. The signs below are reasons to have the tooth checked.

My wisdom tooth pain isn’t going away. What should I do?

Call a dentist. Ongoing pain is one of the signs the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons lists for considering wisdom tooth removal, and a dentist can find out exactly what’s behind it.

Don’t wait it out. An infection around a wisdom tooth can spread if it isn’t treated, and Cleveland Clinic notes that in severe cases it can even become life-threatening. In the meantime, use the home-care steps below to stay comfortable.

How can I relieve wisdom tooth pain at home?

Warm salt-water rinses, gentle cleaning and an over-the-counter pain reliever can ease wisdom tooth pain until you’re seen.

• Rinse with warm salt water, about half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, three or four times a day.
• Brush and floss gently around your back teeth to clear trapped food.
• An alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash twice a day may also help.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, following the package directions. Ask your pharmacist if you’re unsure what’s safe for you.
• Hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek to ease soreness and swelling.
• Don’t put aspirin directly on the gum. It can irritate the tissue.

When is wisdom tooth pain an emergency?

Wisdom tooth pain is an emergency when swelling spreads to your face, jaw or neck, or when you have a high fever or trouble breathing or swallowing. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:

• Swelling in your face, under your jaw or in your neck that makes it hard to breathe or swallow
• Swelling below your eye, or swelling that affects your vision
• A high fever along with swelling
• Bleeding that won’t stop with firm pressure
• A serious injury to your face or jaw

What will a dentist do about wisdom tooth pain?

A dentist will examine the area and take X-rays to see how the wisdom tooth is positioned and whether it’s affecting nearby teeth or bone. Our updated technology includes digital X-rays and 3D imaging.

Treatment depends on what’s found. Options include cleaning and flushing the area under the gum flap, antibiotics or a prescription mouth rinse if there’s an infection, removing the gum flap, or removing the wisdom tooth if it keeps causing problems. Antibiotics may be given first to clear an infection before a tooth is removed.

Dr. Neff’s letter to our patients explains that specialist care for oral surgery will be available right here at our Murrieta office, so you will not need to travel to another office. Learn more about wisdom teeth and oral surgery.

If you feel nervous about dental treatment, tell our team. Learn more on our dental anxiety and comfort page.

How long can I delay wisdom teeth removal?

If a wisdom tooth isn’t causing problems, you may not need to have it removed, but it should be watched with regular checkups and periodic X-rays.

If it is causing pain, infection or damage, putting off treatment raises the risk of more infections, abscesses and harm to healthy teeth. Your dentist can explain what the X-rays show and how soon treatment makes sense for you.

Can I prevent wisdom tooth problems?

You can’t stop a wisdom tooth from being impacted, but you can lower the chance of decay and infection around it.

• Brush carefully all the way to the back of your mouth, and floss around your wisdom teeth and the molars beside them.
• Keep up with regular checkups and cleanings, where your dentist can track how your wisdom teeth are developing.
• For teens and young adults, ask about wisdom teeth at routine visits. Removal is sometimes part of a plan for braces or clear aligners.

Questions & answers

Common questions