Wisdom Teeth – Is It Wise to Remove Them?

At some point in most people’s lives their third set of molars – or wisdom teeth – will erupt through their gums and be visible by the human eye. Another set of teeth, all the better to eat with, right? Well, not exactly. That extra pair of molars on your top and bottom jaw can wreak havoc on your wellbeing. Here are a few reasons why. 

There is no space for wisdom teeth in modern human heads

Way back when we were eating raw foods we could use those extra molars to really tear into things. As we evolved, our brains grew larger fast – about three times the original size. This fast growth changed the shape of the back part of the skull and its position relative to our teeth. The area for teeth shrank leaving less or even no room for wisdom teeth to easily erupt. The modern human head frequently does not have enough space for that third row of molars. 

Wisdom teeth can grow in at an angle

When wisdom teeth push through the gums and erupt they don’t always do so in an orderly fashion. Some might even start growing sideways pushing your teeth out of place. This added pressure on your teeth can cause immense amounts of pain and destroy years of orthodontic work. Even if they are growing in at an angle that is pointing away from your front teeth, their roots might become exposed which can result in extra pain on your part. 

It is hard to clean that extra row of teeth

And you thought it was hard enough to floss and brush behind your molars now? Imagine having yet another row to deal with. Our mouths do not open wide enough to reach a third row of teeth to easily foss. Food and bacteria can get stuck back there and develop plaque. That plaque can lead to cavities and pain down the road. 

Leaving wisdom teeth in too long can lead to expensive and painful procedures

It is best to take out wisdom teeth when they are smaller and have grown fewer roots. The number of roots can vary, and the more roots, the harder it is to remove the tooth. And the longer the time the molar has to grow the roots, the tougher it will be to remove them. Bigger molars will leave larger holes that will take longer to heal. If they are left to grow too long, they might become so problematic that emergency measures will have to be taken, which can lead to a larger bill. 

Bad breath can come from improperly cleaned wisdom teeth

Since it is so difficult to thoroughly clean that third row of molars, the more bacteria and plaque that harbor there means the stinkier your breath can be. While going to the dentist regularly can help keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh, it is imperative that you keep a good oral hygiene regime at home as well. But it might be too difficult to clean behind the wisdom teeth. 

We as modern humans have no need for a third row of molars. We cook our food and know the importance of thorough mastication. Removing wisdom teeth at an early stage is a great way to avoid pain and more elaborate surgeries later on. It is a simple procedure that can be done in one day. There is no reason to be scared. With our technology, we will make the procedure go as quickly with as little pain as possible.