Despite their important-sounding name, wisdom teeth have no real purpose. These additional pairs of molars usually emerge in a person’s late teens or 20s, but they’re usually unnecessary for healthy ...

A tooth abscess is a collection of pus that forms inside a tooth or its surrounding structures. The abscess itself is one of the later stages of tooth decay, and typically occurs before tooth loss.

Mark Gurarie is a writer covering health topics, technology, music, books, and culture. He also teaches health science and research writing at George Washington University's School of Medical and ...

Impacted wisdom teeth happen when a wisdom tooth gets lodged underneath the gum line. This can trigger irritation, pain, and ultimately lead to gum disease and tooth decay if not treated. Impacted ...

Gum disease — medically known as periodontitis — affects 47.2% of adults over age 30 in the U.S. About 8.5% of them may have severe periodontitis. Gum disease is a severe infection or inflammation of ...

Throbbing pain in the tooth usually indicates that there is an injury or infection in the mouth. In most cases, this will be a cavity or an abscess. However, there are many possible causes of ...