Wisdom teeth are somewhat of an enigma. They come in way later than the rest of your adult teeth, they often come in sideways, and some people only get a few or don’t get any at all! If you’re curious about these mysterious “third molars,” here are a few fascinating facts about them that you may not have known!
Why Do We Get Wisdom Teeth?
While it would be nice, your wisdom teeth don’t actually make you any smarter. In fact, the reason they’re called wisdom teeth is because they usually come in later in your teens or young adulthood, when you’ve gained more wisdom than you had when you got your second set of molars.
Wisdom teeth initially benefited early man by showing up to replace molars that were worn down by primitive diets. These included lots of raw meats, vegetables, and roots, all of which are notoriously tough to chew. But while they may have helped our ancestors, they only seem to cause problems today.
Why Do We Extract Wisdom Teeth?
In addition to being largely unnecessary nowadays, your wisdom teeth often pose great risk to the rest of your teeth and gums. Due to their location, they can be harder to clean, thus making them prone to cavities and gum disease. They can grow sideways, pushing into nearby teeth and breaking them, all the while causing you plenty of pain. They can even cause a bit of an oral traffic jam, creating crowding in your mouth that could wreak havoc on your smile and tooth spacing. Thus, your dentist may recommend extracting them.
Should I Have My Wisdom Teeth Removed?
If your dentist has recommended wisdom tooth extraction for you or your child, it is important to consider the risks of keeping them. While nobody wants to have a tooth or multiple teeth removed, the damage of leaving them in place can cause much more damage than the temporary discomfort you can experience post-extraction.
In addition to crowding and impaction, wisdom teeth can also cause extremely painful cysts and tumors and can break down your healthy teeth over time. Thus, if your dentist suggests removing them, it is truly for your own good.
Remember, while not everyone gets wisdom teeth, if you do it is important to consider your dentist’s advice for how to manage them. It could save your smile!
About Our Practice
At Smile More Dentistry, we want you to do just that. That’s why our team works hard to provide warm, welcoming, and compassionate care to every patient that walks through our door. It is our ultimate goal to get to know our patients on an individual basis, and never treat them like just another number, nor will we ever recommend or push a treatment you don’t truly need.
To schedule an appointment for wisdom tooth extraction, please visit our website or call us today at 845-675-1512.