Your wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that most people grow sometime around age 20. While they’re often called “wisdom” teeth because they usually appear when you’re in your early 20s and start feeling like you have some serious life knowledge, these third molars can also pose problems for many people. If you don’t have enough room in your jaw to grow them, or if one of your other teeth is coming in at an angle so it affects their placement, your dentist might recommend removing them. But what about those white spots that remain after the tooth has been removed? What are they and why do they stay there? Here’s what you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole.
What Is The White Stuff In My Wisdom Tooth Hole?
The white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is called dentin, and it’s a type of mineralized tissue that lies beneath your tooth’s enamel. Dentin has a yellowish or greyish color. The dentin will continue to mineralize, which means it’ll become harder and more durable. It’ll eventually turn into the root of your new tooth.
Tissue Buildup After Removing A Wisdom Tooth
- The first thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that it’s not a bacteria or infection. It’s just your wisdom tooth and the tissue from the gum around it.
- The second thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that it can be removed, but only through surgery. If you don’t remove it, it will continue to grow and cause more problems for you down the road.
- The third thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that there are different types of tissue and they can cause different problems when they build up inside of your mouth.
- The fourth thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that it doesn’t have a smell, taste, or texture. It doesn’t itch or bother anyone who eats with their mouth open, and it won’t cause any discomfort if someone accidentally bites into it after chewing on something else like an apple or carrot stick. However, when this tissue buildup gets large enough, it can cause pain for some people and may even affect their speech as well as how they chew food.
- The fifth thing you need to know about this tissue buildup is that there are two main types: fibrous tissue (the most common) and osteophytic (bone-like) tissues which are less common but can be more problematic if left untreated.
- The sixth thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that sometimes it can be removed by a surgeon, but most of the time it’s best left alone.
- The seventh thing you need to know about the white stuff in your wisdom tooth hole is that if you’re having trouble with it, or if you have any other questions or concerns about your oral health, you should always see a dentist who specializes in oral surgery. They will know how to remove this tissue buildup safely and effectively, so they can make sure that there’s no chance of infection and they can also help prevent further problems down the road by cleaning out any remaining bone from around your teeth so they don’t shift or cause pain anymore.
Calculus After Removing A Tooth
It’s Not a Cavity
You might have heard that the white stuff you see in your wisdom tooth hole is called “calculus.” It might look like a cavity, but it’s not. Calculus is actually just a buildup of minerals and plaque that forms on the surface of your tooth after it’s been removed. This can happen with any tooth removed from your mouth, so it doesn’t have to be a wisdom tooth.
It Might Be Infected
While this is rare, your dentist will often refer to this white stuff as “infected calculus,” which can be caused by bacteria or fungi (fungi are microscopic organisms that grow in moist environments). It can also be caused by an infection from another source like an abscess (a pocket of pus) or another oral bacteria. It doesn’t usually cause any symptoms other than being unsightly and hard to clean. If you notice anything unusual in your mouth, get it checked out right away by your dentist or doctor to make sure nothing more serious is going on.
It Can Be Removed With an Anesthetic To Prevent Pain
If your dentist can’t get the calculus to come off on its own, they might recommend getting it removed with an anesthetic. This will help you avoid the discomfort that often comes with having a tooth removed and will also make it easier to clean your teeth afterward.
It Might Be Something Else
If you notice other things in your wisdom tooth hole that are white, like blood or pus, take them seriously and visit your dentist right away. These are signs of a serious infection and can be fatal if not treated quickly.
Jaw Reconstruction After Removing A Wisdom Tooth
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Wisdom Teeth Are Rare
The first thing to know is that wisdom teeth are very rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that only around one in three people in the United States has a wisdom tooth at any given time. Because of this rarity, they’re often removed very early in life — before most people even realize they have them.
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Wisdom Teeth Are Often Damaged Before They’re Removed
Wisdom teeth start to form around age 7 or 8, and by the time you’re 11 or 12, their roots have started to form and some of them may be visible. But because they don’t usually appear until well into your teen years, most of these teeth are already damaged before you even notice them. That’s why many people will have an impacted wisdom tooth removed before it becomes a problem — because it probably won’t be a problem for long!
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Wisdom Teeth Can Be Problematic For Some People
But sometimes wisdom teeth do become problematic for some people, especially if there isn’t enough room to grow them naturally or if one of their neighbors is coming in at an angle so it affects their placement in your mouth. In those cases, your dentist might recommend removing the tooth early on so that you can avoid any problems with its replacement later on down the line — but what about all that white stuff left behind?
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Wisdom Teeth Are White Because Of Enamel
That white stuff you see in your wisdom tooth hole is actually the hard outer layer of the tooth. It’s called enamel, and it protects the softer inner part of the tooth called dentin. Enamel is also what gives teeth their color. New teeth start out white after they are formed, and then they get darker as they get older. But as a wisdom tooth age, it stops producing new enamel and starts to lose its original color. That’s why old wisdom teeth don’t look like new ones anymore — they’re just white.
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Wisdom Teeth Are Sometimes Removing Them Early Is A Good Thing
Because most people have three molars in their mouth at any given time, there is usually plenty of room for all of them to grow in their mouths without causing any problems for other teeth or the lips and gums around them — even if you have one or more impacted wisdom teeth! So if you do have one or more impacted wisdom teeth that are causing problems because of their position in your mouth, it might be good to remove them early on before they become a permanent fixture that can affect your smile later on down the line.
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Wisdom Teeth Can Cause A Lot Of Problems
Wisdom teeth can cause a lot of problems, especially if they’re impacted. They can push against other teeth and the gum tissue around them and even cause problems with the jaw bone itself — especially if they are crowded into the mouth by other teeth or if there is no room for them to grow in their natural positions.
Conclusion
Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the back of your mouth. They usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Most people have room for these teeth, but others find them growing crooked or pressing against other teeth. If you have to remove your wisdom teeth, you may have white stuff in your tooth holes. The white stuff in a tooth is called plaque. Plaque is mostly made of bacteria that build up on your teeth and gums every day. The bacteria in plaque cause cavities and gum disease. After a tooth is removed, the gum tissue surrounding the teeth is left open and vulnerable to bacteria and plaque, which can cause gum disease. The best way to prevent this is to clean your teeth and gums properly, which you should be doing anyway. Flossing and brushing your teeth after a tooth is removed is extra important to keep the area healthy and prevent complications.
