Question: What are the signs of a wisdom tooth infection?
Explanation: Wisdom tooth infections typically present as pain at the back of the jaw, swelling of the overlying gum, difficulty opening the mouth, a foul taste, swollen lymph nodes under the jaw, and sometimes fever. Partially erupted lower wisdom teeth are the most frequent culprits because the gum flap over them harbours bacteria that cannot be cleaned away. Infection can spread into the neck spaces and become serious. Warning signs include difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, and inability to open the mouth beyond two fingers, all of which require immediate hospital assessment.
Related Questions:
Why do lower wisdom teeth get infected more than upper ones?
Lower wisdom teeth commonly erupt partially, leaving a flap of gum, called an operculum, covering part of the crown. Food and bacteria collect beneath it in a space no toothbrush reaches. The upper teeth also bite onto this flap, traumatising it further.
Do I need antibiotics for a wisdom tooth infection?
Only if the infection is spreading, there is systemic upset, fever, or significant trismus. Localised pericoronitis is treated by irrigation beneath the flap, thorough cleaning, and analgesia. Antibiotics without local treatment produce recurrence and contribute to resistance.
Will the wisdom tooth need extracting?
If infections recur, usually yes. A single episode in a tooth that may still erupt fully can sometimes be managed conservatively. Repeated pericoronitis, decay in the wisdom tooth or the molar in front of it, or persistent impaction generally lead to extraction.
« Back to Glossary Index