As wisdom teeth develop, they tend to push against any adjacent structures
present. These structures may be the overlying gums (gingiva) or the
adjacent molar.
The wisdom tooth tries to erupt. Often, the eruption is only partial -
leaving
part of the wisdom tooth exposed, the remaining portion submerged. The
surrounding tissue quickly become a trap for food and bacteria resulting in a
bacterial infection. To make matters worse, this inflamed tissue is often
the target of more trauma - the inflamed tissue (puffier and larger) usually
gets in the way of chewing and eating. This can be a very painful
situation. Of course, this could be be avoided by early intervention.
Another common cause of discomfort is the presence of bacterial plaque on the
partially erupted wisdom tooth. Because wisdom teeth are
located so far back in the mouth, it is difficult to keep them clean.
Often, bacterial plaque builds up over a long period that the tooth literally
develops a cavity.
For these reasons, it is advisable to have your wisdom teeth removed early,
before such problems arise.
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