What Should I Do About an Impacted or Infected Wisdom Tooth?

See a dentist soon, especially if you have pain, swelling, or a bad taste. An impacted wisdom tooth is stuck under the gum or bone, and the gum over it can trap food and get infected. At Bleu Dentistry in Oak Lawn, impacted wisdom teeth are checked with X-rays and removed right here in our office.

What is an impacted wisdom tooth?

Wisdom teeth are the last molars at the very back of your mouth. They usually try to come in between the late teens and mid-twenties, long after the rest of your adult teeth are in place. When the jaw does not have room, or the tooth grows in at an angle, it gets stuck. That is called an impacted tooth.

Impaction comes in a few forms, and the type affects how the tooth is removed:

The tooth can also be tilted forward into the molar next to it, lying sideways, or tipped back. A forward or sideways tooth is the kind most likely to cause trouble for its neighbor.

What are the signs of an infected wisdom tooth?

The most common wisdom tooth infection happens around a tooth that has only partly come through. A flap of gum sits over part of the crown, food and bacteria collect underneath, and the gum becomes inflamed. This is called pericoronitis. Watch for:

• Pain and swelling in the gum behind your last molar
• A bad taste, bad breath, or pus near the back tooth
• Pain that spreads to your ear, jaw, or throat
• Trouble opening your mouth all the way, or pain when you swallow
• Swollen, tender glands under the jaw
• A sore spot where you keep biting the swollen gum

An impacted tooth can also cause problems without obvious infection: decay on the back of the second molar, crowding, or a fluid-filled sac around the tooth that only shows on an X-ray. That is why an exam matters even when the pain comes and goes.

When is a wisdom tooth infection an emergency?

Most wisdom tooth infections should be seen by a dentist within a day or two. Go to the emergency room right away if you have swelling that spreads into your cheek, under your jaw, or down your neck, a high fever, or any trouble breathing or swallowing. Those signs mean the infection may be spreading, and it needs urgent care before the tooth is treated.

What can I do at home until my appointment?

Home care can make you more comfortable, but it does not fix an impacted tooth. Until you are seen:

• Rinse gently with warm salt water several times a day, especially after eating, to wash food out from under the gum.
• Keep brushing the area softly. It is tempting to avoid it, but a clean area heals better.
• Use over-the-counter pain relievers only as the label directs, and ask a pharmacist if you take other medicines.
• Use a cold pack on the outside of your cheek for swelling.
• Do not put aspirin on the gum or try to open the swelling yourself.

Do impacted wisdom teeth always have to come out?

No. An impacted tooth that causes no pain, no infection, and no damage to nearby teeth can sometimes be watched with regular X-rays. The picture changes once a tooth has been infected. Infection around a partly erupted wisdom tooth tends to come back, because the gum flap that traps food is still there. Repeat flare-ups, decay on the next molar, or a cyst on the X-ray are all strong reasons to remove it. Our guide Do I need my wisdom teeth removed? walks through how that decision is made.

Can impacted wisdom teeth be removed at a general dental office?

At Bleu Dentistry, yes. Impacted wisdom teeth are removed right here in our office, including teeth that are partly covered by bone, so most patients do not need a separate referral just to get the tooth out. Your dentist reviews your X-rays with you, explains whether the removal will be simple or surgical, and gives you a written price first.

Feeling nervous is normal. Local anesthesia keeps the area numb, and nitrous oxide and oral sedation are available. There is no need to go elsewhere for IV sedation: it is all done at our office by an anesthesiologist. Read more on our sedation dentistry page, or see our full wisdom teeth removal page.

How much does impacted wisdom tooth removal cost in Dallas?

The final price depends on how deep the tooth sits, its angle, and its roots, and you see it in writing before treatment. Many patients pay directly without insurance. If you have a PPO plan, Bleu Dentistry is out of network, and our team can check your out-of-network benefits. Flexible financing is available on our dental financing page. For more detail, see our wisdom teeth removal cost guide.

What is recovery like after impacted wisdom tooth removal?

Most people feel sore for a few days, with swelling that peaks around the second or third day and then fades. Plan on soft foods and rest for a day or two. To heal well:

• Bite on gauze as directed, and keep your head raised the first night.
• Use a cold pack on the cheek during the first day.
• Skip straws, smoking, and hard spitting for several days to protect the clot and avoid dry socket.
• Start gentle salt-water rinses when your dentist says to.
• Call us if pain gets worse after the third day, or you notice a bad taste, fever, or new swelling.

If you have IV sedation, you need a ride home and an adult with you for the rest of the day. Our IV sedation guide explains how to prepare.

Where can I get an impacted wisdom tooth removed in Dallas?

Bleu Dentistry is at 3607 Oak Lawn Ave, Suite 250, in Oak Lawn, a few minutes from Uptown, Highland Park, and Knox-Henderson. We are open Monday and Wednesday 10 AM to 7 PM, Friday 3 PM to 7 PM, and Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM. Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday we are closed, but online booking stays open around the clock. Walk-ins are welcome, and Saturday is a popular day for students and working patients who cannot get away during the week. A wisdom tooth that needs to come out right away can often be removed the same day; see our emergency dentist page.

Founded by Dr. Allen Charles, DDS, our practice has 280+ Google Reviews, and todo nuestro equipo habla español. If this is your first visit, our new patients page explains what to bring.

Bottom line

An impacted wisdom tooth that hurts, swells, or leaves a bad taste is telling you something. Rinse and manage the pain at home for now, but get an exam with X-rays soon. At Bleu Dentistry, impacted wisdom teeth are removed in our office, with sedation options and a written price before anything starts.