Your mouth is constantly changing… One of the biggest changes most people face is the eruption of their third set of molars; the wisdom teeth, Every individual will typically experience this between the ages of 17 and 21 years of age.
You’ve heard it in the past—when your wisdom teeth come in, you really want to have them removed, or they’ll cause you issues. The fact is that not everybody ends up having their wisdom teeth removed. Indeed, there are many myths out there concerning what wisdom teeth are, the reason you should have them removed, how awful removing them can be, and more.
These rumors may be coming from your family and friends, or simply hearsay. The information being tossed around by various people could be myths or facts, but it’s difficult to know unless you’re getting your information from a reputable source, like your dental specialist or oral surgeon.
What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are your last set of molars to erupt, normally when you are in your late teens or mid-twenties. When properly aligned, your wisdom teeth can prove to be useful as an extra set of teeth to help with chewing, but when they are improperly aligned, they can cause harm to your surrounding teeth, jawbone, or nerves. Where your wisdom teeth have just partially erupted—that is, when just a small piece of the tooth has broken through the gum, it can cause bacteria to enter around the teeth, resulting in infection. Moreover, brushing and flossing become hard to manage because of the abnormal positioning of the partially erupted wisdom teeth, making these teeth more inclined to decay and periodontal infection (gum disease).
A few wisdom teeth myths that aren’t myths at all.
Here, we’re debunking the myths people have about wisdom teeth and giving you the facts instead. A few myths about wisdom teeth aren’t myths at all.
Myth1: Everyone Has Wisdom Teeth
In Reality: Not all people have their own wisdom teeth. A few people have wisdom teeth under their gums that never erupt. Others might have a couple erupt, and some don’t have any at all. These situations are acceptable unless you start experiencing issues with these teeth.
The fact is that around 35% of the population has no wisdom teeth — these people were never born with them. You won’t know for sure if you have them or not until your dental specialist takes some x-rays of your teeth when you’re between the ages of 17 and 25.
Myth 2: You Know If You Have Wisdom Teeth
In Reality: This will not always happen. Just because you can’t see your third molars doesn’t mean you don’t have them. The purpose of this is that your jawbone or soft tissue could enclose your wisdom teeth.
In this way, to uncover any hidden teeth, our dental specialist will take an x-ray. The x-ray beam will also show, assuming you’re having any potential issues with the growth of these teeth too.
Myth 3: Wisdom Teeth Must Be Removed
In Reality: Most individuals believe that if they don’t have their wisdom teeth taken out, they’ll cause crowding or become affected and painful. They also believe this is the reason they require braces or orthodontic treatment.
A study showed there are 10 million wisdom teeth extracted each year by 5 million people. Of these extractions, 60% aren’t required. If your third molars grow properly aligned and healthy, one has no need to remove them.
But, there are times when extraction may be essential. Some of these include:
- Jaw damage
- Damage to other teeth
- Inflamed gums
- Sinus issues
- Decay
Wisdom teeth can also be affected by diet. People who consume hard food have more wear on their teeth, which causes their teeth to drift and make space for their wisdom teeth.
Nowadays, our diet helps in maintaining good teeth. There’s also better dental care available, including supports and retainers, providing you with strong and healthier teeth, but not impacted wisdom teeth. Therefore, wisdom teeth never arise until the dental arch grows bigger and only if there’s room. One may face a few problems if there isn’t sufficient space for wisdom teeth to emerge or if they erupt improperly positioned. Assuming that your teeth are trapped under your gums or jaw, they are affected and require oral surgery.
As your third molars come through your gums, the dental doctor will diagnose your mouth for the following signs:
- Wisdom teeth are not erupting as expected, leading to difficulty flossing between your molars and wisdom teeth.
- Wisdom teeth are not situated properly; food is being trapped, thus giving cavity-causing bacteria a scope to develop.
- Wisdom teeth erupt without enough room, leading to crowding or potential damage to adjacent teeth.
- Wisdom teeth are partially erupting, allowing bacteria to enter your gums and cause infection.
- Affected wisdom teeth form cysts close to or on the affected teeth, potentially destroying the bone supporting your teeth or harming the roots of your adjacent teeth.
- Everything is unique, but importantly, your wisdom teeth should erupt just when your dental specialist sees evidence of potential issues.
Myth 4: Wisdom Teeth Aren’t Necessary
In Reality: Wisdom teeth perform the same tasks as the other teeth; making chewing easier. Anthropologists suggest having wisdom teeth to consume rough and coarse foods like hard roots, meat, and leaves that require more chewing effort.
Today’s diet plans, however, consist of softer food and utensils to cut our food, making it easier to bite and eat food without the use of wisdom teeth. In fact, evolutionary biologists believe that wisdom teeth have no function.
Myth 5: You Can Smoke And Drink After Extraction As Long As It Isn’t Excessive
In Reality: People often choose to bypass the guidelines given by dental specialists to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol following an extraction. For proper healing, after your wisdom teeth have been removed, it is fundamental that a blood clot is formed in the tooth sockets for proper healing. Smoking and drinking can increase the chances of the blood clot is dislodged or failing to shape, leading to a dry socket condition. A “dry socket” results in the inflammation of the jawbone when it is allowed to remain uncovered to air and debris. After an extraction, you should wait for at least 3 days before smoking and drinking. At Harbour Pointe, here in Mukilteo, we expect to properly inform you about any dental process you might need, so the best decision can be made for yourself as well as your teeth. Whether you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth or simply require a couple of your inquiries answered, give us a call, we’re always happy to help you!
Facts About Wisdom Teeth and Their Removal
If you’re concerned about your wisdom teeth, consult your dentist. They’ll go over various options for your wisdom teeth, which include:
- Partial or complete removal
- Tooth repositioning
- Retention with radiographic and dynamic clinical surveillance is called a coronectomy
- Opening a cyst to allow waste with monitoring and possible secondary treatment
- Surgical periodontics
If you are considering potential management options other than extraction of your wisdom teeth, your dentist will probably think about the potential for future problems or infection.
Your wisdom teeth need not really come out. For example, you should not have to have them taken out if they
- Grow completely
- properly aligned
- It is painless.
- completely functional
- Disease-free
- Cavity free
- In a hygienic environment,
- They are embedded in the healthy gum tissue.
However, wisdom teeth will always need regular cleanings and periodic X-rays, and annual check-ups to monitor for any changes.
Your dentist will monitor your wisdom teeth and may suggest you have wisdom teeth surgery as they may lead to potential future problems. With age, your risk of having issues with your wisdom teeth also increases. Therefore, you should get regular dental checkups so the dentist can monitor them, decide whether they will come inappropriately or cause issues, and evaluate your oral health.
Contact Harbour Pointe For More Services
Your wisdom teeth are similar to your other teeth. Extracting them is quite normal just as removing any of your other teeth. Recovering from wisdom tooth surgery is also not as bad as a few folktales lead people to think.
We’re happy to answer your questions and offer our services. Call today to book your consultation.