why does it hurt so much when your wisdom teeth grow in?

Question

I think its just gum pain, from a tooth breaking thru. But wow I feel sorry for teething babies! They're growing in starit, dentist said so. But advil isnt helping and it'll be at least a month till its fully popped through the gum

Answer 1

Wisdom teeth usually emerge from the gum (erupt) between the ages of 17 and 24. They are the last of the molar teeth, which are the large grinding teeth at the back of the mouth. Some people never develop wisdom teeth, others have up to four - one in each corner of the mouth. Like you said, they can hurt just like when you were a baby "cutting" new teeth. Extra-Stength Tylenol works good for my aches and pain.

Answer 2

Humans today have smaller jaws than our ancestors did thousands of years ago... the reason for this is that we don't eat as much tough and raw food as the cavemen did, so we don't need as much chewing power. It is quite possible that thousands of years from now, humans will not produce 3rd molars (Wisdom teeth) at all. This is just evolution in action...

The bottom line is that with less space, the teeth hurt more trying to force their way in... they can catch on the bottoms of the existing 2nd molars (this is what happens in an "impacted" wisdom tooth) and force the other teeth out of place or they can turn sideways from the impact force as they try to erupt...

It is important to have your dentist track the progress of a painful wisdom tooth with x-rays... Mine had to come out with a saw (don't worry.... good drugs keep the pain to a minimum if they have to come out!!!)...
Best,
Ed, RN

Answer 3

They usually don't grow in straight so it is applying more pressure to your gums and other teeth.