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Looking for a caring and professional dental practice? We’re excited to welcome new patients to our clinic! Whether you’re due for a check-up, need treatment, or are looking to enhance your smile, our friendly team is here to help.
Contact us today to book your first appointment—we look forward to meeting you!

Wisdom teeth

Wisdom teeth are molars which are the last adult teeth to develop in the mouth. Most people have four wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth — 1 in each corner.

They usually start to appear in gums in late teens, early twenties, but it can also be quite common to appear later. By this time, there are already 28 adult teeth in the mouth and so the development of wisdom teeth can often be impacted by restricted space, causing problems as they grow. Wisdom teeth can sometimes emerge at an angle or get stuck and only partially emerge. Teeth that grow through like this are known as impacted.

When to see a Durban Dental Centre dentist

Impacted wisdom teeth don't always cause symptoms. However, when an impacted wisdom tooth becomes infected, damages other teeth or causes other dental problems, you may experience some of these signs or symptoms:

Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Jaw pain
Swelling around the jaw
Bad breath
An unpleasant taste in your mouth
Difficulty opening your mouth

As with any teeth problems, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms it's important to book an appointment at Durban Dental Centre to see a dentist as soon as possible, rather than waiting for routine dental health review.

What can I do to help relieve the discomfort of wisdom teeth?

A mouthwash of medium-hot water with a teaspoonful of salt will help to reduce gum soreness and inflammation. Swish the salt water around the tooth, trying to get into the areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Do this several times a day.

An antibacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine can also reduce the inflammation. Pain-relieving tablets such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can also be useful in the short term, but talk to us at Durban Dental Centre if the pain continues.

Why are wisdom teeth removed?

If your wisdom teeth are impacted but not causing any problems, you don't usually need to be remove them. This is because there's no proven benefit of doing this and it carries the risk of complications.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth that have become impacted or haven't fully broken through the surface of the gum can cause dental problems. Food and bacteria can get trapped around the edge of the wisdom teeth, causing a build-up of plaque, which can lead to several problems in the mouth:

  • Damage to other teeth. If the wisdom tooth pushes against the second molar, it may damage the second molar or increase the risk of infection in that area. This pressure can also cause problems with crowding of the other teeth or require orthodontic treatment to straighten other teeth.
  • Cysts. The wisdom tooth develops in a sac within the jawbone. The sac can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth and nerves.
  • Decay. Partially impacted wisdom teeth appear to be at higher risk of tooth decay than other teeth. This probably occurs because wisdom teeth are harder to clean and because food and bacteria get easily trapped between the gum and a partially erupted tooth.
  • Gum disease. The difficulty cleaning impacted, partially erupted wisdom teeth increases the risk of developing a painful, inflammatory gum disease in that area.

Many of these problems can be treated with antibiotics, antiseptic mouthwash and a good oral hygiene regime.

Wisdom teeth removal is very common, but usually only recommended when other treatments haven't worked.

How are wisdom teeth removed?

If your Durban Dental Centre dentist recommends removing your wisdom teeth, they'll take an X-ray of your mouth to help them determine who should carry out the procedure. Your dentist may remove your wisdom teeth, or they may refer you to a specialist surgeon for hospital treatment.

Before the operation, we’ll fully explain the procedure to you.

A local anaesthetic injection is usually given to numb the area around the tooth. You'll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed, as your dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth.

A small cut in the gum is sometimes necessary, and the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces before it's removed.

It takes anything from a few minutes to 20 minutes, or sometimes even longer, to remove a wisdom tooth.

After your wisdom teeth have been removed, you may have swelling and discomfort, both inside and outside your mouth. Occasionally, some mild bruising is also visible. This is usually improves after 3 days, but it can take up to 2 weeks. If this continues for longer, or progresses, please get in touch with the team at Durban Dental Centre as soon as possible.

Prevention

You can't keep an impaction from occurring but keeping your regular dental appointments for cleaning and reviews enables your dentist to monitor the growth and emergence of your wisdom teeth. Regularly updated dental X-rays may indicate impacted wisdom teeth before any symptoms develop.

If you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth, or are experiencing any pain, give us a call on 01892 652377.

Patient Reviews

People are talking about us

The biggest complement we receive is when our patients refer their friends and family to Durban Dental Centre. In fact, we have built much of our practice on these valued, trusted recommendations over the years. Read our reviews to hear why our patients are recommending us…

Patient reviews

914 Reviews

5.0

6th March 2026

The dentist explained what he was going to do and talked me through every aspect of the procedure.

6th March 2026

Very professional

4th March 2026

Kate is an excellent hygienist who explains everything and makes you feel calm and listened to

GL

Grace Lane

I cannot fault any of the team at Durban Dental. Recently moving to the area and having to change dental practices after 25 years was quite a big deal, however, myself and 3 boys have all been made to feel so at ease and welcome, Jacob in particular is so good with the children, especially my one year old who is slightly reluctant to open his mouth for his appointment but Jacob is so calm and patient! Reception staff always so welcoming and helpful too especially Marie & Heather :-) Thank you Durban Dental!

25th February 2026

Everyone is very efficient and thorough

25th February 2026

Staff friendly and helpful and suggested treatment believed most beneficial me.

25th February 2026

Staff really helpful and cheery

25th February 2026

Reception is a joy, always a smile from the wonderful ladies and welcoming. Jacob is just incredible with nervous patients and puts you at total ease. A total gentleman and professional. Best practice and always recommending you!

25th February 2026

Efficiency and friendliness of all staff

24th February 2026

Christine always provides excellent hygienist service

24th February 2026

It is always a pleasure to visit Kate Blundell the hygienist. Always does a good job and is very pleasant. Kate is a marvellous technician and front-line ambassador.

23rd February 2026

Everyone is always polite, friendly and professional. The surgery is modern and exceptionally clean.

21st February 2026

Skill of hygienist

SC

Scott Chaplin

Excellent service as always. Sharon is energetic and efficient.

20th February 2026

Everyone is so friendly and I'm kept informed with how well I'm doing.

18th February 2026

Everyone is very friendly. Very flexible when making or changing an appointment. All of the staff are very pleasant.

17th February 2026

Ashley is a first class Dentist who listens carefully to your symptoms and advises the best action to take

16th February 2026

Sharon and Ashleigh always provide excellent care. I have every faith in their ability, knowledge and discussion of options.

13th February 2026

Reception team very friendlyHygienist professional kind and caring

13th February 2026

I've been with the practice since 1988 and my sons and brother have also been under their exceptional care. Many staff changes through the years and never less than excellent, whether front of house or clinical. Never a fan of going to the dentist but a necessity and the staff make it bearable.

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