3 Signs That You Have An Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is a tooth that is positioned in the wrong way. This means that another tooth or something else in your mouth can prevent it from coming up through your gums. Most adults who suffer from an impacted tooth have this issue with their wisdom teeth.

This problem can be more serious than you might think. It can damage your other teeth, and may cause an infection or other oral problem. Therefore, if you have an impacted tooth, it is important to schedule an appointment with a dental professional immediately so that you can have the problem remedied. Although not all impacted teeth come with symptoms, these are three of the most common symptoms that you might suffer from.

1. Issues With Your Gums

One of the first signs of an impacted tooth is issues with your gums. Your gums might be swollen and inflamed, and they might be very red. You might not feel any pain at all, or you might feel as if your gums are tender or in pain. Regardless, you should not ignore a gum-related problem. This can indicate an impacted tooth, but it could also be the sign of gum disease or another issue that needs to be tended to right away.

Dental care providers like Central PA Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons LLC can help answer your questions about impacted teeth and other dental health problems.

2. Habitual Bad Breath

If you always brush your teeth but still feel self-conscious about your breath, you need to find out what is causing the problem. In many cases, bad breath is caused by an infection in your mouth, such as the infection that can occur because of an impacted tooth. If you practice good dental hygiene and are still dealing with this problem, you may need a dental exam. Even if you do not have an impacted tooth, you could have a cavity, gum disease or another oral problem. Healthy mouths that are properly taken care of should not have bad breath. Another similar sign to look out for is a constant bad taste in your mouth, which can also be caused by the infection of an impacted tooth.

3. Uncomfortable Jaw

An impacted tooth can seriously affect your jaw. You might notice that your jaw is slightly swollen near your bad tooth, and the swelling can get progressively worse if the problem is ignored. Your jaw might also become very painful. Try taking an over-the-counter pain pill, then schedule an appointment with your dentist to find out about the tooth that is causing these jaw-related problems.