How to Treat an Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is one that does not pass completely through the gums. This happens most commonly with wisdom teeth, since they are the last set to come in. The condition is common and often painless with the only concern being crowding and pressure of other teeth. An impacted tooth can, however, cause pain, discomfort and bad breath. Here's how to treat an impacted tooth.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

• 1

  Visit the dentist. The dentist will find areas of enlarged tissue and signs of infection, and will check with x-rays if the problem is truly an impacted tooth.

• 2

  Know the main concern. The main concern in treating an impacted tooth is to ease the discomfort and irritation of the mouth. If there is no infection or inflammation, there may be no need for treatment.

• 3

  Ease the pain. Over-the-counter pain medicine and mouthwash may be used to ease the pain. An easy and effective home remedy is a gargle of warm salt water using 1/2 tsp. of salt for 1 cup of water.

• 4

  Remove the tooth. Ultimately, the impacted tooth will need to be removed. In most cases, the dentist can handle it in the office with local anesthesia. Sometimes, though, the tooth is so buried that, to avoid complications, the dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon for the procedure. Antibiotics are used prior to surgery to reduce the risk of infection.

• 5

  A person can go for years with no trouble from an impacted tooth. However, in the case of wisdom teeth, the extraction becomes more complicated after you're 30 years old, so discuss with your dentist the possibility of taking care of it before then.