I am aged 50 yrs. My wisdom tooth (lower right) needs extraction due to decay. What are the odds?

My lower right wisdom tooth has decayed and i feel acute pain and i think it is time to remove the tooth. I would like to know the pros and cons of my decision. Is there any danger in removing the wisdom tooth at 50 yrs of age. Or is it better for me to continue with the decayed tooth and take antibiotics and pain killers whenever i experience pain. Please advise.

I am aged 50 yrs. My wisdom tooth (lower right) needs extraction due to decay. What are the odds?
It is advisable to have it extracted. 50 years is the right time. Later on if you dont get it extracted you may suffer more and antibiotics and pain killers will have no effect.As you grow older it would be tough to have it extracted particularly if you get into heart problems.


The only danger is if it not properly removed you will continue to have problems. At times the nervous system gets affected too but all these are very rare. YOU MUST GET IT DONE THROUGH AN EXPERT who may even take an Xray to see how deep the root is and what damage is already there.


GO WITH FULL CONFIDENCE.


ALL DECAYED TEETH ARE ROOT CAUSE FOR MANY MORE DISEASES AND PROBLEMS.
Reply:To avoid a more serious problem you should have it extracted, but it is going to be difficult with your age. You should consult your dentist and have x-rays done.
Reply:Have the tooth pulled. There is no reason for you to have to live with pain or take pain killers or antibiotics for the rest of your life. You will eventually build up a resistance to the antibiotics and if you need them for another problem they will not help. A decayed tooth can also lead to gum disease which is far worse than a decayed tooth or having your tooth pulled.


So stop being a baby and schedule your appointment....my 5 yr old daughter just had two teeth (molars) extracted and was able to go to school the next day.
Reply:Get the tooth removed. It has to be. Abscesses are dangerous because the infection can spread very fast into your jaw and from there it can (and does) kill people.


How will you get it out? Novocaine? Or will you want to be put to sleep? I would recommend the sleep. I know it's more expensive, but believe me, it's less stressful on your whole system. It won't take long, so they will use very little medication and it will wear off quickly. Now, unless you have some terrible condition where your health is very fragile, you'll be fine.
Reply:What are the odds? The odds to what ! Growing a new tooth?


Of course you should have it extracted. It is poisoning your bloodstream and very unhealthy . Keep it up and end up with a big fat abscess on there that'll send you throbbing to the ER .So, quit being a baby and face the music that you neglected your oral health for years .
Reply:I've just come back from the dentist today, having had my left wisdom tooth extracted due to decay, i would advise you go to the dentist and get this pulled out asap, the dentist explained to me that if i'd left it much longer, then she would not of been able to extract it as the decay was causing it to break as she was extracting it, so she was finding it hard to hold on to, she said that i might have to go to the hospital if it breaks anymore and it would mean having my gums cut back, ouch!!!..... but thankfully she got it out!!!





Get yourself to the dentist you'll feel better when its out.





Good luck!!
Reply:I don't think we should be saying he's "neglected his oral health for years". I think it's pretty impressive he STILL has this wisdom tooth at 50. Most people lose these teeth in their early 20's!! You're talking like 50 is ancient, and you should be concerned of complications due to your "advanced age". 50 is the new 30 you know, and the health of our mouths can be directly linked to the health of our bodies, so DEFINITLY see your dentist about getting this pulled. It's quick, it's easy, and you'll be glad you did. Most dentists don't do it themselves anymore tho, you'll probably be referred to an oral surgeon. If you don't have insurance, this could get costly. I'd ask my dentist for the name of someone who might do it without gen. anesthesia, if he won't. My husband (who's 32) just had his pulled by a dentist, and it was decayed, so it can be done. I had all four of my impacted wisdom teeth pulled at 20, without benefit of general anesthesia. If I can do it, surely a man such as yourself can....And GOOD LUCK!!
Reply:If this is a wisdom tooth, there is no harm in having it extracted. It can be a little tougher as you age to remove these, but in the long run it would be better for you. There are many possibilities if you do not see your dentist soon. An abcess can form, therefore needing a root canal on a tooth that really has no value or usage. Most people have them removed now to avoid problems such as these in the future. There are possible problems with even the root canal. In some instances, they fail and the infection gets into the bone, That can be dangerous. Removing the tooth, (If not a molar) as long as it is a wisdom tooth should be fine, though you will need P.A.'s. Xrays of the tooth. It is relatively painless to have a tooth removed, as you will be numbed and feel only the pressure. The longer it waits though, the harder it can be to heal. If this is in fact a molar, see a Dentist immediately. You will need to try to save the tooth. When you lose a tooth that is not a wisdom tooth, you risk a domino effect of bone recession, leading to other teeth, leading to their extraction, etc. It's a vicious cycle once you start. This is not the case with wisdom teeth however. Due to their positions, #1, 16,17,32 (The #'s of the wisdom teeth) are basically not needed. They are in the very rear, are not used for masticating (chewing) and because they are not used, any bone loss would not be an issue. Please make sure that the tooth you are specifiying is in fact a wisdom tooth. Either way, the best thing to do is to see a dentist so he can confirm this, and give you your best options available, which will include some of what I have listed above. Good luck, and you don't have to live in pain. :-)