Erupted Tooth: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment – A Complete Guide

Tooth eruption from the gums is a usual occurrence in the production of teeth, but it can be painful and be difficult in some circumstances. Learning about the causes, signs, and solutions of a tooth eruption is crucial to keep your oral health in good condition and avoid potential problems.. Even though a majority of teeth come out without much difficulty, a few can create inconvenience, be twisted and even develop diseases when they do not come out well.

Teething begins in infancy and progresses into the first few years of life. It plays a significant role in chewing, producing sounds, and general oral health. But, genetics, nutrition, and jaw structure may also impact how well this process goes.

In this guide we will describe everything you need to know about erupted teeth including its causes, symptoms and treatment.

What Is An Erupted Tooth?

An erupted tooth is a tooth that has actually come through the gum line and can be visible in the mouth. The whole process of eruption does start from the early stage of life, when the baby teeth (“milk” teeth or primary teeth) come out the first time between six months to three years. As a child grows, their primary teeth fall off and they are replaced by the permanent ones. Normally, permanent teeth appear between the age of six and twelve, but wisdom teeth, i.e., third molars, normally show up between the ages of 17 and 25.

Wisdom tooth eruption is not easy as there is little space to bear them in the mouth. Therefore, the majority of people need to get their wisdom teeth removed when they begin to create problems. Poor management of wisdom teeth can cause partial and uncomfortable eruptions that might affect the function of speaking, eating, and even sleeping.

Causes of Tooth Eruption

Tooth eruption is a natural process and it can be influenced by various factors which we are describing below:

Age: Teeth can erupt at different periods of life of a person from the age of infancy to young adulthood.
Genetics: Your family history can also impact the process of teeth eruption of early or late eruption and the pattern of eruption.
Hormonal Changes: Another cause that plays a major role in eruption process os The growth hormone which is the main biological factor in the development of teeth. Additionally, some other hormones like gonadotropins might also have an influence.
Jaw Growth: The j size and shape of your jaws are the major factors that determine how the teeth grow and align.
Nutritional Factors: A good diet helps in proper development and eruption of teeth.
Oral Health: Gum infection or a dental problem could sometimes be a cause of the retarded or accelerated tooth eruption.

Symptoms Of Erupted Tooth

Most of the time, a tooth that has erupted has not any problem. But, some people may have symptoms such as:

Pain and Discomfort: Swelling in the gums and teeth, caused by the erupting tooth, can result in a slight ache.

Swollen or Red Gums: Swollen and red gums near a tooth at its eruption are frequent incidents, especially in children and also during wisdom tooth eruption.

Irritability and Difficulty in Eating: Teething pain may be the cause of fussiness in infants and young children. Moreover, it also becomes difficult to eat during the tooth eruption process.

Mild Fever: Another symptom in tooth eruption is raise in body temperature. So, some children may also feel mild fever during teething.

Gum sensitivity: You may feel the gum surrounding the growing tooth is tender and sore when you touch it or your gums become more sensitive to hot or cold food.

Impacted tooth symptoms: If a tooth cannot come out of the gum right, it may cause swelling, infection or develop a cyst.

Common Issues Related To Tooth Eruption

Although in most cases tooth eruption is a smooth process, some people may face some complications which are as follows:

i. Impacted Teeth

In certain cases, a tooth may fail to erupt fully, for instance, because there is not enough space, misalignment or being blocked by another tooth. It is usually common in the case of wisdom teeth.

Impacted teeth are the usual cause of pain, swelling, trouble with opening the mouth, and infections. Its management is done by the extra teeth being either removed through surgical extraction or other surgical methods.

ii. Crowding and Misalignment

Sometimes permanent teeth erupt in a misaligned position because there is insufficient space in the jaw and leads to overcrowding. Its symptoms include overlapping teeth and bite problems. Dentists treat crowded teeth with braces or alignments.

iii. Delayed Eruption

Sometimes it may happen that the teeth require more than the usual time to grow through the gums. It is a condition that can be due to various reasons, such as genetics, nutritional deficiencies, or underlying health issues.Its symptoms include gap or missing tooth where eruption is expected.

Treatment of delayed eruptions include monitoring by a specialist, or, in extreme cases, orthodontic intervention or surgical teeth removal if necessary.

iv. Teething Issues In Babies

Babies frequently have teething problems which cause them to be uncomfortable when their first teeth break through. Its symptoms include excessive drooling, swollen gums, and fussiness.

It can be treated with Teething rings, gum massage, or pain-relievers.

Treatment and Management Of Erupted Tooth

The erupted tooth treatment is decided according to symptoms and associated problems. Here are a few ways to manage tooth eruption effectively:

1. Pain Relief

Your doctor may prescribe you painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which you can take. These drugs might be helpful for you for now by providing some pain relief to you.
There is another method that can aid you in relieving your pain and it is the use of a cold compress. It helps in the reduction of swelling which ultimately leads to relief from pain.
If your baby is teething, you can give them a teething toy or a chilled teething ring, which will help soothe the itching and soreness in the gums.

2. Good Oral Hygiene

Maintaining good oral hygiene can help you to manage the tooth eruption process in the best possible way.
A clean mouth is necessary for overall well being. Therefore, you need to brush and floss all the time if you want to have teeth that can be pulled out without any infection.
We recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent gum irritation.
Moreover, you may try a salt-rinsed formula, or else, you can make use of a mouthwash that is antiseptic and decreases inflammation.

3. Professional Dental Care

Regular dental check-ups are very important. It can help to watch the eruption process of the tooth and detect and treat any problems early on, if any occur.
Your dentist might have to get the tooth removed or you could receive orthodontic treatment if you have an impacted tooth.
If the teeth are too close together, the doctor will take care of them in time with some orthodontic treatments of different types, for example, braces or aligners to correct and provide the right amount of space.

4. Surgical Intervention

If the tooth is impacted or causing severe issues, the tooth is removed by minor surgery to facilitate the eruption or extraction processes.
In cases where the wisdom teeth are located beyond the biological limits, it might be needed to remove them surgically and non-surgically to prevent the pain and infection.

How To Prevent Eruption Related Problems?

While several eruption problems are inevitable, you might still try your luck on the prevention side by properly taking care of your teeth so they may develop well.

i. Encourage Oral Care From Young Age

Teaching the young ones how to brush and floss their teeth is an essential that prevents them from catching infections or complications.

ii. Monitor Tooth Eruption Progress

Through getting regular dental checkups, the malfunction would be discovered, resulting in the early treatment of the problem before it gets too complicated.

iii. Address Misalignment Early

If the teeth are being pushed aside and they do not fall in line, then the early check-up with the dentist, namely orthodontic evaluation, can be of great help.

Final Words – Erupted Tooth

Tooth eruption is a regular occurrence with teeth and it is a part of human life. However, it very often involves pain or experiencing dental complications. When you have deep knowledge about tooth eruption, its causes, symptoms, and remedies, it can help you have better oral health.

If you or your child go through pain, swelling, or any irregular symptoms when the teeth are coming out, consider consulting a dental surgeon to get proper treatment. Making sure you take good care of your teeth and pay attention to them, you are able to so that they erupt properly and how they stay healthy.