A wisdom tooth pain can present itself for numerous reasons. Possibly your wisdom teeth have erupted out twisted and can’t set properly in your mouth, or have caused an infection close to your teeth. Regardless of the source, painful wisdom teeth can truly affect your overall oral health and you should seek immediate treatment.

Common Signs and Symptoms of Wisdom Tooth Pain

If you are experiencing problems with your wisdom teeth, you might get a few signs and symptoms including: Jaw pain or rigidness around the wisdom tooth area.

• Pain or discomfort due to a wisdom tooth that's erupting at an uncomfortable angle.
• Possible crowding of other teeth.
• Trouble cleaning wisdom tooth and other surrounding teeth thoroughly.
• A tooth decay or gum disease in and around a wisdom tooth.
• A cyst formation close to the tooth roots that is likely to damage the connected bone.

Those that cannot come in properly or that only partly erupt can lead to problems and are likely to develop an infection.

How to Get Rid of Wisdom Tooth Pain at Home

The foremost step, if you believe you may be having wisdom tooth pain, is to schedule an appointment with a dentist. After taking required X-rays, the dentist will be able to evaluate the area and diagnose whether or not you are suffering from an actual wisdom tooth pain. For temporary wisdom tooth pain relief, the following home remedies can be helpful in curing wisdom tooth pain:

1. Clove Oil Clove oil has eugenol, a natural desensitizing agent. Apply clove oil near to the affected area by taking some drops on a cotton ball. It will help you get some relief.
2. Warm Salt Water Melt a small quantity of salt in warm water and rotate it inside your mouth for 30 seconds and repeat a couple of times every day. It can prove to be very calming and cleansing.
3. Over-The-Counter(OTC) Pain Reliever OTC medication like ibuprofen and aspirin can surely provide temporary relief from that throbbing sensation to help you concentrate on your work. Ensure to always follow the recommended dosages.
4. Raw Onion Place half a piece an onion inside the cheek around the affected tooth to discharge some onion juice. This helps to alleviate the pain.
5. Teabags Teabags can be an effective means to treat wisdom tooth pain. Herbal teas have numerous features that can help to numb an aching tooth.
6. Peppermint Peppermint can offer pain relief. You can either use fresh leaves or take a little peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place it directly on to your wisdom tooth.
7. Ice Pack An ice pack can be helpful to reduce any facial swelling and subside inflammation and pain. It's helpful during both, before and after your dental treatment for a toothache.

You should never regard your wisdom tooth pain casually. While home remedies for pain management is an option for certain patients, in most instances tooth extraction is the ideal way to relieve wisdom tooth pain and secure your total health and wellness. As always, you will need to see your dentist to choose the best option for yourself.

A wisdom tooth usually develops in the gums between 17 and 25 years of age. Wisdom teeth are impacted if they are trapped in your gums or jawbone, or not fully grown in alignment with the rest of your teeth. The impacted wisdom teeth must be removed by an experienced dentist to prevent future oral problems such as pain and infection.

 Read more to learn about the aftercare measures of wisdom teeth removal.

How Do You Know If You Need Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

You may need to undergo wisdom teeth removal if:

• Your wisdom tooth erupts at a wrong angle
• You have cavities or gum disease
• There is no space in your mouth for an extra set of molars
• You experience jaw stiffness, swelling, and pain in the back of your mouth

How Long Does It Take for Full Recovery from a Wisdom Tooth Removal?

Usually, it takes a few weeks to fully recover from a wisdom tooth removal, but the healing time varies for everyone. It may take a long time if your wisdom teeth are impacted. After the procedure, you may experience little to no pain and slight discomfort, bruising, and swelling in your face for 3 to 4 days. You can speed up your recovery process by following your dentist’s instructions properly.

What Is the Best Food to Eat After Getting Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Once your wisdom teeth are extracted, make sure to eat foods that can reduce complications such as swelling and pain, provide nourishment, and assist the healing process. You should eat foods that are soft, easy to chew, and contain sufficient nutrients, including yogurt cheese, mashed potatoes, and more.

What Are the Dos and Don'ts After Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Here are some tips for wisdom tooth removal aftercare:

DO'S

• Apply an ice pack on your face to control or slow down skin color changes or swelling
• Exercise your jaw gently by opening and closing your mouth
• Use a warm wet towel to treat a sore jaw
• Eat soft foods such as rice, pasta, and soup
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Start brushing your teeth from the second day of your surgery, but do not brush against any blood clots
• Take the medications prescribed by your dentist to ease your pain or swelling
• Visit your dentist if you have a fever or your pain or swelling persist

DON'TS

• Don’t drink through a straw, as it may loosen the blood clots that are healing your mouth
• Don’t rinse your mouth too harshly
• Don’t smoke or drink alcohol
• Don’t eat foods that are hard, crunchy, and sticky
• Don’t drink hot beverages

You should follow these recommendations for the first 24 hours to a few days after your wisdom teeth extraction. Contact Urbandale Smiles to know more about wisdom tooth removal and other oral problems.

Also Read: Effective Tips to Get Rid of Wisdom Tooth Pain

An oral cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming news. However, it’s important to remember that you are not alone and there are several resources available to support your journey in fighting cancer. Also, there are important steps that you can follow to manage your life after receiving your cancer diagnosis.

What to Do After Your Oral Cancer Diagnosis

Since cancer diagnosis affects every aspect of your life, you need to make a treatment plan. Here are the steps that you should take after your early stage oral cancer diagnosis:

1. Tell Someone Who Can Support You - Find and talk to someone who can support you throughout your treatment. This can include your spouse, family member, or a close friend.
2. Understand Your Diagnosis - Prepare a list of questions that you want to ask your doctor. Learn about your cancer type, stage and other details that might impact your treatment and results. 
3. Research Treatment Options - Seek more information about your treatment options. Be sure to access only unbiased, reliable sources during your research. 
4. Consider a Second Opinion - Cancer treatment is complex, so each doctor’s approach to treatment may vary. Consider a second opinion to feel more confident about your treatment plan. 

How Can You Take Care of Yourself?

Taking care of yourself and your needs is crucial during this time, and it should not be overlooked. Here are certain things that you can consider for yourself:

• Exercise a lot to de-stress yourself both mentally and physically. It will also help you to regain energy.
• Decide who will share your daily responsibilities. This will give you more time to focus on yourself and your treatment.
• Make sure you have your finances under control. You can even consult a financial planner for your health and treatment concerns.
• Keep your routine as normal as you can. Continue to pursue your current hobbies and interests.

How Fast Does Oral Cancer Spread?

It depends upon the stage and nature of the diagnosis. Also, it may vary from person to person because every individual has a different immune system, lifestyle, and age. 

After oral cancer has developed, it takes a couple of months to spread to different parts of the mouth. Regular doctor visits are crucial to monitoring the cancer and the patient’s health condition.

What Are the Initial Signs of Mouth Cancer?

Regular checkups are crucial to detect the initial signs and symptoms of oral cancer. Some common symptoms may include:

• A persistent mouth inflammation
• Recurring mouth pain 
• A lump in the cheek
• A white or red patch over gums, tongue, tonsil or mouth lining
• A persistent sore throat 
• Difficulty in swallowing or chewing
• Pain in the teeth or jaw
• Voice changes

What Treatments Are Available?

Your treatment plan will depend upon factors such as the type, location, and stage of your cancer, your present health condition, and your treatment goals. Oral cancer treatment options include:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Supportive care

Consult your healthcare specialist about your treatment alternatives. Make sure you know the risks, benefits, and the results of each treatment to make the best decision.

             Also read: The Best Ways to Find an Emergency Dentist Near You

What Are the Types and Stages of Cancer?

Oral cancer is a cancer that originates in the mouth or throat.  The types of oral cancer include:

• Squamous cell carcinoma (the most common type)
• Verrucous carcinoma
• Salivary gland tumors

Various stages of oral cancer are:

Stage 0 (or carcinoma in situ)
The cancer is present only in the lining of the lips or oral cavity 

Stage 1
The tumor is 2 cm or smaller, and the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage 2
The tumor is between 2 cm and 4 cm, and the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage 3
The tumor is bigger than 4 cm, or cancer has spread to one of the lymph nodes.

Stage 4
This is the most advanced stage, and the tumor is any size but has spread into:

• nearby tissues, like the jaw bone
• one large lymph node 
• remote body parts, such as the lungs

Recurrent Oral Cancer
Recurrent oral cancer refers to cancer that has resurfaced after its treatment. It can also recur in other parts of the body. This is medically known as distant metastasis or distant recurrence.

     Original source: Things You Should Do After Receiving an Oral Cancer Diagnosis

A loose tooth won’t let your child focus on anything else. Check out these 5 easy steps to remove a loose tooth without pain.

1. Keep Wiggling:

   Wiggle the tooth to loosen it as much as possible before you can easily remove it. You can have your child use their tongue or index finger and thumb to gently wiggle the loose tooth. However, make sure that they do not push the tooth too hard or it may hurt.

2. Chew on Hard Food:

   Have your child chew on hard foods like carrots, pears and apples to make the entire tooth loosening process quick and painless. Although, try having them eat something which is not too crunchy before biting on something a bit crunchier. If this doesn’t work they can bite into an ice pop to help numb the pain before pulling the tooth out.

3. Brush and Floss Vigorously:

   They can also use a toothbrush and floss to help remove a loose tooth without pain. While brushing use an up-and-down motion to rub each side of the loose tooth in order to make it fall out. Whereas, while flossing try to curve the floss around the bottom of the loose tooth. If the tooth is ready, the floss will likely help it fall out.

4. Use Medical Gauze:

   Make use of medical gauze to grip and remove a loose tooth in an easy and sterile process. If you think that the tooth isn’t loose enough to come out without pain, then have your child wiggle it a bit while holding it with the piece of gauze and soon it will be ready to come out pain-free.

5. Visit Your Dentist:

   Lastly, if you can’t remove the loose tooth without causing pain, it’s better to consult your local dentist Urbandale, Iowa. They will not only pull out the tooth painlessly for your child, but will also help in relieving any pain that they have after the tooth has been removed.

   Original source: Tips to Pull Out a Loose Tooth

No matter how healthy your oral care habits are, at some point, you’ll likely require an emergency dentist appointment. When dental emergencies occur, most of us become unsure about how to locate an emergency dentist near our location.

When to Visit an Emergency Care Dentist
There are several different reasons why you may require emergency dental care. Here is a list of conditions that may cause you to visit an emergency dentist:

• Tooth pain due to trauma or decay
• Tooth abscess
• Tongue swelling
• Dental infections
• Broken, chipped, or fractured tooth
• Lost or damaged dental fillings or crowns
• Orthodontic pain due to worn out brackets or loose wires

How to Locate an Emergency Dentist Near You
By the time a dental emergency strikes, it can be too late to invest the time in searching for a dentist online or asking for referrals. At this stage, you need to handle the emergency at hand to prevent the situation from worsening. It is also crucial to find the right dentist to have a more comfortable recovery from a dental trauma or infection.

For these reasons, it’s highly recommended to select an emergency dentist before you need emergency dental care. Here are some useful tips to search for an emergency dentist in your area:

Search Online Using “Emergency Dentist Near Me”
The most sensible thing you can do is to research for a dentist on the internet. Remember to mention your current location while conducting your searches. Otherwise, you’ll mostly end up with hundreds of irrelevant results.

Check License and Qualifications
Don’t get tempted to hurry to the nearest emergency dentist on seeing that it’s open and accessible when you’re in need. Instead, spare a moment to verify their qualifications. Most practicing dentists will mention their valid credentials online.

Check Experience and Recommendations
When making a final choice, pay special care to each dentist’s experience and their patient’s online reviews. Find out about their length of practice beforehand and do not hesitate to inquire about other accreditation held by the specialists.

Inquire About Their Hours
Determine what the dentist’s hours are. It is best to locate a dentist who is also available after hours to handle dental emergencies. Otherwise, selecting a dentist who takes in patients on an emergency basis is best.

Look for One Who Acknowledges Your Dental Insurance
Inquire whether a dentist accepts most of the family dental insurance plans. Otherwise, it is best to get the information before visiting them during an emergency. You can choose to get a list of dentists who accept the plans from your insurance provider and offer emergency dental care to patients.

Find out What Services Are Provided
Make sure to learn about each dental service that is offered by the dentists providing emergency dental care to patients. It will be best if a wide range of services are provided in one location at the emergency dentist.

Ask What Ages They Treat
Make sure to find out what age group a dentist treats before the onset of a dental emergency. It will be best for you to find a dentist who provides family dental care. During future dental emergencies, your family will be aware of where to proceed with their treatment.

Schedule an Appointment ASAP
After finding a dentist of your choice, contact them to ensure that they have a vacancy for you. If you don’t get the option for immediate emergency treatment, you may want to move on to other dentists on your list.

It can be difficult to locate an emergency dentist in your area at the time of a dental emergency. However, with the above-mentioned tips, you will be able to find a suitable emergency dentist near you.