Can Wisdom Teeth Cause A Sore Throat?

Sore throats can happen for a lot of reasons. If your wisdom teeth are growing in and your throat is sore, you may be wondering if an unhealthy wisdom tooth is the culprit. Can wisdom teeth cause a sore throat? The short answer is “yes.” Read on to learn more from Lakeside Dental, and see if a wisdom tooth may be causing your sore throat.

Yes, Wisdom Teeth Can Cause A Sore Throat

The wisdom teeth are the last set of four molars, and they typically emerge around the age of 17-25 They come out a lot later than the second set of molars, which most people have by the age of 12-13. This third set of molars is located at the very rear of the mouth.

If they grow into your mouth properly, your wisdom teeth will not cause a sore throat. But if they do not fully emerge from your gums, one or more of your wisdom teeth may become “impacted.” When this happens, it can be hard to clean the area around your teeth properly.

In turn, this may lead to inflammation and infection of the gums near the wisdom tooth. In severe cases, a dental abscess may form near the wisdom tooth. As the inflammation and infection continue to spread, this may cause “referred pain” like a sore throat. This is more common with the lower wisdom teeth.

Other Symptoms That May Indicate An Unhealthy Wisdom Tooth

Although wisdom teeth can cause a sore throat, there are lots of other things that can cause a sore throat. Other causes of a sore throat can be allergies, overuse (singing loudly, for example), infections like the common cold and strep throat, and much more.

So, how can you tell if your sore throat is being caused by an unhealthy wisdom tooth? Beyond seeing a Lenoir City dentist like Dr. Joseph Blalock, you can also look for other common symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth.

• One side of your throat is sore – In most cases, one side of your throat will feel more sore than the other. However, if you have multiple unhealthy wisdom teeth, both sides of your throat may feel sore.
  
  
• Jaw stiffness, discomfort, or pain – Infections and inflammation near your wisdom teeth will usually cause your jaw to feel stiff and uncomfortable when you move it to chew and bite. You may also feel pain near your rear teeth.
  
  
• Headaches and pain near your ear –  Since they're also located quite close to your ear, unhealthy wisdom teeth can also cause pain near your ears, and may even contribute to frequent headaches.
  
  
• Inflammation and discoloration – When gum tissue near your wisdom tooth becomes infected, it will usually look red, swollen, and discolored. Noticeable discoloration and inflammation may indicate a problem with your wisdom tooth.

Get Expert Care For Infected Wisdom Teeth – Come To Lakeside Dental Today

If you have a sore throat and other symptoms that may indicate an unhealthy wisdom tooth, Dr. Blalock and the team at Lakeside Dental are here to help. We offer gentle wisdom tooth extractions in Lenoir City. Give us a call at (865) 635-4999 or contact us online to schedule your consultation right away. You can trust our team to help you relieve your pain and prevent further complications.