I have never had my wisdom teeth out and am in my early twenties, but my dentist never said I needed to. They have hurt before, but I think that’s because they are still coming in. Unfortunately they have been hurting me all weekend, to the point where it is hard to eat. If I look back there, I can see that it’s kind of swollen. I don’t know if I should just keeping taking ibuprofen and wait it out, or if I should go see an emergency dentist?

Mason, WV

Dear Mason,

Everyone is different when it comes to wisdom teeth. Some people can keep their wisdom teeth their whole life without any problems, and some people’s wisdom teeth cause trouble even before they break the surface. This is mostly due to space. If there isn’t sufficient room for the wisdom teeth, they can push other teeth, causing shifting, crowding and other problems. This can lead to pain.

If wisdom teeth do break the surface, other problems can arise. When they are still covered with gums, it can be difficult to keep them clean. Food and bacteria can collect in that area, leading to infection or tooth decay. This also can lead to pain.

Should you see an emergency dentist?

Trying to determine if the pain is worthy of a trip to the emergency dentist can be difficult. You mentioned that you have felt pain from your wisdom teeth before. Hopefully you have discussed this pain with your regular dentist. Either way, if the pain is bad enough that you can’t eat now, something is wrong. You may have an infection. You either need to see your regular dentist very soon or get into an emergency dentist. If you continue to have struggles with your wisdom teeth, it may be time to get them taken out.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge, LA.