When you feel pain or discomfort in your throat when swallowing, the last place you might suspect is a tooth. This symptom is a common sign that your third molars, commonly called wisdom teeth, are causing a problem in the back of your jaw. Wisdom teeth are the final set of teeth to emerge, typically appearing between the ages of 17 and 25. Their eruption process often leads to localized inflammation or infection, and the close anatomical relationship between the jaw, nerves, and throat structures explains why an issue at the back of your mouth can present as throat pain.
Understanding the Source of Referred Pain
The pain you feel when swallowing is often a result of pericoronitis, inflammation and infection of the gum tissue surrounding a partially erupted wisdom tooth. When the tooth only partially breaks through the gum line, a flap of soft tissue, called an operculum, covers part of the crown. This creates a sheltered space where food debris and bacteria can become trapped and multiply, resulting in a localized infection that causes swelling in the surrounding gum and bone.
The inflammatory swelling directly irritates nearby structures, triggering referred pain. The infection site is close to the muscles used for chewing and the branches of the trigeminal nerve. Swelling in this area puts pressure on these nerves and adjacent muscles, including the pharyngeal muscles involved in swallowing.
The body perceives the pain signal as radiating out to the throat or ear because the same nerve pathways serve all these areas. This localized swelling and muscle irritation can also lead to trismus, or difficulty opening the mouth. The discomfort you feel when you swallow results from these irritated muscles contracting and rubbing against the swollen, infected tissue. If the wisdom tooth is impacted, the pressure alone can contribute to this localized inflammation and subsequent nerve irritation.
Immediate Steps for Pain Relief and Management
While waiting for a professional dental assessment, several steps can help manage the acute pain and swelling. The first involves gently cleaning the area. You should attempt to thoroughly, but carefully, brush and floss the area to remove trapped food particles and plaque from beneath the gum flap.
You can also prepare a warm salt water rinse by dissolving half a teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water. Rinsing your mouth gently with this solution multiple times a day helps to cleanse the infected area and promote the drainage of pus, which can reduce swelling.
For systemic pain and swelling management, over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often recommended. NSAIDs provide a dual benefit by reducing both pain and inflammation. Finally, to minimize irritation when eating, switch to soft foods that require little chewing and avoid foods that are extremely hot or cold, as temperature extremes can trigger nerve pain.
When to Seek Urgent Professional Care
While many cases of pericoronitis resolve with home care and a subsequent professional cleaning, certain symptoms indicate the infection is spreading and requires immediate dental or medical attention. The most significant red flag is trismus, which is the inability to open your mouth fully. This symptom suggests that the infection has progressed to involve the muscles of mastication.
Another severe warning sign is the presence of systemic symptoms, such as a fever, chills, or facial swelling that extends beyond the immediate jawline and into the cheek or neck. If the dysphagia becomes so severe that you have significant difficulty swallowing liquids, or if you notice any difficulty breathing, you must seek emergency medical care, as this indicates a risk of airway compromise.
Upon seeking professional care, the initial dental intervention often involves a deep cleaning or irrigation of the infected gum flap to flush out trapped bacteria and debris. If the infection is active and spreading, the dentist will likely prescribe a course of antibiotics to control bacterial proliferation. The definitive long-term solution for recurrent pericoronitis or a severely impacted tooth is often extraction of the wisdom tooth itself. This removal eliminates the source of the infection and prevents future episodes of pain and inflammation.