Wisdom tooth problems abroad

[TFleming]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently travelling Australia and my bottom wisdom teeth have decided it is an appropriate time for them to come through and cause me problems. They've been coming up for about a week now and I've noticed quite a lot of swelling and I have a bit of pain.

Initially I thought it would just be the sore gum, but when I've looked closer and done some research, it looks like I'm going to have to have them pulled. Not to diagnose myself and jump to conclusions, but I believe I have 'impacted' wisdom teeth, where isn't enough room in my mouth for them to come out. On closer inspection they are growing at an angle too, one of them at a strong angle and I really don't think I have room for another full tooth.

Anyway, should I need them taken out, does anybody know where I stand in regard to cover over here? I have travel insurance and that's all. Is it viable to just leave them be and deal with the slight discomfort until I return home (2-4months), or will that cause long term problems?

I'm hoping someone as been in a similar position (not in a sadistic way ).

Thanks

 

[Qitarah]

You really don't have to rush and get them pulled ASAP or anything, they do grow very slowly and if this is the first time you have felt any discomfort then it should be fine.

What you described sounds like normal wisdom tooth annoyance. They do hurt (nothing unbearable just rather u cant eat too good for the duration and have mild-moderate discomfort). while they are pushing through the gum the area will swell a bit, be sore and even bleed a SMALL bit. Make sure you clean the area well; soft toothbrush and a light touch.

I'd give it a week or two see if its causing any further problems. By 2 weeks it should be settling down if I remember correctly.


If after 2-3 weeks if its causing problems, if there are any sudden change such as excessive amounts of bleeding, excessive swelling and the likes or it gets any more annoying than discomfort levels of pain then go get an X-ray taken @ a dentist and see what they say. Will probably cost u a lot out there but yer I imagine it would be covered by emergency dentistry treatment I think my health insurance has that covered but check before hand either way.

I HIGHLY doubt you would need to rush and get them pulled, lets put it that way. Wisdom teeth take years to fully come through.

 

[teulk]

I put off having my wisdom teeth out by about 2yrs due to being in the Army. Mine were growing at a strange angle too. You have to decide how much discomfort they are causing, mine caused me very little pain or problems. I eventually had all 4 of mine out at a military hospital as i was "ordered" to by the military dentist. I have no doubt if i hadn't of had them out they would have eventually caused a few problems. My advice would be to at least see a dentist and perhaps call your health insurance to see if having them removed is covered. If you have to get them out then you should be ok after a week or two.

 

[SMN]

Get some corsodyl mouthwash and use that daily, pain should subside in a few days - mine have been flaring up every 3-4 months now for 2 years - dentist says its normal. I wouldnt rush into getting them removed, it is expensive in Australia - my other half used to live there and she had it done in Perth, it'll run you into the thousands $ from what i remember.

 

[Black Dynamite]

I get pain a few times a year that lasts for a few days, feels like i've been punched in the side of the face. Using mouthwash helps massively and if it is killing you, get some numbing gel and apply, should help a little.

My bottom ones will be coming out soon according to my dentist because they are growing forwards rather than upwards and rotting the tooth in front aswell as itself. Very little I can do because of the angle they are coming in at.

 

[benjii]

This looks suspiciously like a medical thread!

 

[kindai]

Anyway, should I need them taken out, does anybody know where I stand in regard to cover over here? I have travel insurance and that's all.

Ring up your travel insurance and find out.

Though I imagine they'll tell you politely where to shove it unless it becomes an emergency.

 

[Soundood]

 

[regulus]

The pain will come and go. I put off having mine done for YEARS until, funnily enough, also abroad (South Africa) when I just HAD to get them out. My insurance at the time didn't cover this type of operation so I paid privately. Think I paid around 200GBP and the service was superb.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Get some corsodyl mouthwash and use that daily, pain should subside in a few days - mine have been flaring up every 3-4 months now for 2 years - dentist says its normal. I wouldnt rush into getting them removed, it is expensive in Australia - my other half used to live there and she had it done in Perth, it'll run you into the thousands $ from what i remember.

It's different in general living vs travelling.

Most/many countries have deals, you need medical care in country X while on holiday they'll pay and we'll pay for your guys on holiday over here kinda thing.

Not sure how it works with both Aussie in general and dentists. The thing to do really is, if causing severe pain, ask your insurance company. Maybe phone a local dentist and ask how much for them to check it out. They may say it's an emergency or they may for a say 50 bucks recommend some pain meds and that you have years before it will cause problems.

Also depends on trip length. I think if you were over there for 2 weeks and magically started to get wisdom tooth pain and require surgery to remove all 4 they'd think you were pulling a fast one. If you're doing some travel/work abroad for 6 months, it could be a different case entirely.

Ultimately a quick appointment for a dentists opinion is unlikely to cost much, it's treatment where the huge costs can come in so you can probably get a quick opinion fairly cheap and decide from there if you need to chase up insurance/work out how much it would cost/if it's an emergency/if it would ruin the rest of your trip either untreated or treated. As I understand it you can feel crap for quite some time after treatment, if you're there for two more weeks it's likely better to suffer some pain than suffer the recovery and ruin that two weeks.