Sore Throat? Your Wisdom Teeth May Be To Blame.
Do you still have your wisdom teeth? Or did you recently have them taken out? Well, if you have a sore throat they may be the ones to blame- and not the sick kid that forgot to cover his mouth while sneezing near you on the bus.
Kidding aside, it’s perfectly natural to have wisdom teeth. They’re a natural part of the mouth and there are many people that go on to live their entire lives without needing them removed. However, there is a growing number of those that just don’t have room in their mouths to allow their wisdom teeth to erupt as they’re meant to. If you’ve had braces or any types of orthodontics in the past, then you’re even less likely to have room for them. And when there’s not enough room for wisdom teeth, they only grow in partially. Dentists refer to this as an “affected” wisdom tooth, and it can result in a host of additional health concerns.
Partially Erupted Wisdom Teeth Are Breeding Ground For Bacteria.
When any one of your wisdom teeth comes out only partially, this puts you at a higher risk for infections. With the wisdom tooth still covered by a gum flap- anything you put in your mouth (such as food particles) has a high chance of getting trapped under the flap. This includes not only anything you eat, but also bacteria, fungus & tartar.
Basically, this is just asking for an abscess to be formed! And abscesses, are painful. They can even be life-threatening. Now to get to the point, your wisdom teeth (as you probably know) are at the very back of your mouth. Right next to your, yep you guessed it- throat. This can cause bacterial infections to spread to your throat.
Not only that, but improperly emerged wisdom teeth can cause you to have jaw pain, problems chewing food, & swelling visible on the face. Many people report having a gross smell or unpleasant taste in their mouths as well.
Extraction Is Really The Only Answer.
If your wisdom teeth are failing to erupt properly, and you have any of the symptoms listed above, then getting them extracted by a dentist or oral surgeon is the best (and likely only) answer.
Once you get them extracted, it’s not unexpected to have a sore throat, or throat pain, for a few days after. This is due to the stress inflicted upon the muscles in your throat region during the extraction process. The good news is that this typically doesn’t last more than a few days. You can expect to be fully healed from wisdom teeth removal within 7-14 days.
Natural Solutions For Throat Pain Caused By Wisdom Teeth.
Now, this is where I come in. Because I am obsessed with finding & utilizing natural remedies for alleviating unwanted symptoms (such as a sore throat) whenever safe & possible to do so. While an ice pack or cold compress can come in handy, there are a few additional natural remedies you can try as well. Read all about them below.
1. Salt Water
Mixing sea salt with warm water will create the perfect solution to gargle with. It can bring relief to a sore throat by breaking up mucus & neutralizing bacteria within your throat. It can also help reduce swelling! You can use regular table salt- but why do that when the nearly magical healer (in my opinion) Sea Salt is an option?
2. Honey
Did you know that honey can sometimes work better than cough medicine? This is the conclusion some studies, like this one here, came to. It’s also been proven to be pretty amazing at healing wounds & regenerating skin after tissue damage. I recommend raw honey, as it’s a living food abundant in natural enzymes, vitamins & antioxidants.
3. Herbal Teas
Got an ailment? There’s an herbal tea for that. Yep, just as Aromatherapy has a blend or oil for just about anything under the sun- the same goes for herbal teas. Chamomile, fenugreek, marshmallow root, licorice, slippery elm & ginger are all excellent options! My favorites are herbal blends made specifically for sore throats. Like Yogi’s Throat Comfort, Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat, and Earth Mama Organic’s Throat Smoothie Tea.
4. Baking Soda & Water
Most people use a saltwater mixture, but gargling with baking soda mixed in salt water is known to bring relief too. And it might even work better. By gargling with baking soda & water, bacteria, yeast & fungi hardly stand a chance.
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5. Oil Of Oregano
Oh man, this stuff is potent but does it get the job done! If you have a sore throat, a cough, or a head cold- Oil of Oregano needs to be your new friend. It clears up mucus while bringing soothing pain relief to both your throat & chest. It’s one of my favorites when my throat is bothering me or I have a chest cold! I’ve tried a lot of brands, but North American Herb & Spice makes the best tasting in my opinion. If you choose to use a different brand, make sure it’s diluted & not straight oregano oil. (I saw my life flash before my eyes in the seconds after not realizing there was a difference.)
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar’s acidic nature comes in handy when it comes to breaking down & eliminating mucus, fungus & bacteria. You can gargle with it, or you can drink it. But be sure to dilute it! (I’ve made that mistake as well… I do NOT recommend it.) I do however strongly recommend getting an Apple Cider Vinegar with “the mother” still in it. Bragg’s has probably the best reputation when it comes to selling quality ACV with the mother, but Fairchild’s on Amazon has stellar reviews as well!
7. Oil Pulling
Ah yes, oil pulling! I need to start this back up, but I’ve been out of my favorite Coconut Oil. I wrote a whole blog entry on this when I was first getting started with Nanala Cove. You can find it here. Oil Pulling is an excellent way for reducing oral pain related to teeth & throat. It’s even been reported to help with Strep Throat!
Conclusion.
If you suspect your wisdom teeth are the cause of your sore throat- then by all means you should probably see your dentist as soon as possible! But in the meantime, I hope these natural remedies for soothing a sore throat can help bring you some relief. And if you do end up needing an extraction, then you’ll know what to do if it causes the dreaded sore throat after!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Drop a comment below!
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