Question:
I have had tender gums and a feeling of pressure on both sides of my upper
jaw for a couple of weeks now. I have made a dental appointment for next week as I have a long intercontinental flight to get to my dentist.
Could this be a symptom of impacted wisdom teeth - I suspect that with the
discomfort I am in that I should make further appointments as well as the
initial exploratory one. As well as the above I am also experiencing pain in the eyes and
tingling/numb toes - could these be related to the jaw problem ? Panadol
seems to ease all pain.
Answer:
How old are you? If you are around 20 or so, I would say it was a definite
possibility. For every year older than that the probability decreases. But
it is still impossible to be sure without x-rays and examination...(but you
know that already). What country do you live in? You should find a dentist in your area if you
can. Loyalty and trust are key things when you keep your dentist despite
distance, but totally impractical in your situation.If you suddenly have
great pain (not just a little pressure like you have now) and you have to
wait a week (or more?) to travel a long way and see your dentist you will be
in trouble. The flight will be an experience you won't want to remember and
you will miss out on a whole week of your life....(not to mention the fact
that if you need treatment that stretches over a period of time, or several
sessions, you will either be stuck in the area of you dentist or doing a lot
of travelling. Ibuprofen is usually more effective against toothaches than Panodil so try
that if the Panodil isn't working well enough for you.
If it is erupting wisdom teeth, not likely. But any swelling or pus-filled
area could react, and the same problems divers have with their fillings are
a possibility for everyone with fillings, or so I have read. But I've been
on lots of flights and so far none of my teeth have cracked like that!
I really don't know...but your dentist must have a better idea since he has
treated you before and has x-rays....call your dentist and ask what he/she
thinks... If You are 44 and are experiencing symptoms from your wisdom teeth, it
wouldn't be symptoms from eruption. The fact the symptoms are bilateral
could very well point to something else, since it would be unusual for both
wisdom teeth to suddenly "act up", out of the blue, at the same time. (could
happen, though) I would also consider other possibilities, like your jaw
joint (popularly called TMJ or TMD, depending...). Maybe you need to sleep
with a splint at night to relieve pressure on your jaw when you grate your
teeth...?
It's really not possible to know without having examination or x-rays, but
call your dentist for more help here.
