Have you ever wondered why wisdom teeth are called wisdom teeth? As you’ve probably guessed, these teeth don’t actually impart wisdom or knowledge, unfortunately. These teeth are called wisdom teeth because they usually begin to appear between the ages of 17 and 21. Because wisdom teeth appear between these more mature ages and usually not at an earlier age, these teeth were called wisdom teeth historically.
Today, nearly 85 percent of adults have their wisdom teeth removed. Why are these teeth so commonly removed? Well, when wisdom teeth come through correctly, they can help you chew, just like any other tooth. However, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons reports that about 90 percent of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth, meaning that there is not enough room in your mouth for these teeth to come through.
Common problems caused by wisdom teeth
In the vast majority of cases, people simply don’t need these teeth. In fact, keeping your wisdom teeth can harm your oral and overall health. The most common problems associated with wisdom teeth result from the way these teeth come into your mouth by breaking through your gums. When they break through the gums correctly, they can function as normal teeth. But more often than not, wisdom teeth don’t come through correctly and need to be removed.
Here are the 5 most common ways that wisdom teeth can negatively affect your oral health:
- If the wisdom teeth are not in the right position in your mouth, this will commonly lead to areas in your mouth where food will become trapped and hard to remove. As a result, cavity-causing bacteria will have a place to grow leading to cavities and infections.
- If the wisdom teeth don’t break through your gums properly, this can make it difficult, sometimes almost impossible, to floss between the wisdom tooth and the teeth next to them. If this happens, harmful bacteria will have a place to grow.
- If the wisdom teeth only partially break through your gums, this will expose your gums to bacteria, which will allow the bacteria to enter the gums and lead to infections. Additionally, if bacteria is allowed to enter your gums, this can lead to pain, swelling, and stiffness in your jaw.
- If the wisdom teeth are impacted, meaning that there is not enough room in your mouth for these teeth to break through the gums, the impacted wisdom teeth can crowd, shift, and/or damage the neighboring teeth.
- Impacted wisdom teeth can also lead to cysts forming on or near the impacted tooth. This can then lead to damage to the roots of nearby teeth or destruction of the bone that supports your teeth.
When do you need wisdom teeth removal?
You should visit your dentist regularly to avoid the harmful results that can be caused by wisdom teeth. Only your dentist will be able to properly monitor your wisdom teeth as they break through the gums to look for signs of problems. Your dentist will recommend wisdom teeth extraction if there is the following:
- Pain
- Infection
- Cysts
- Tumors
- Damage to neighboring teeth
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- As part of the treatment for braces or other dental care, your dentist may also recommend wisdom teeth removal.
If your doctor does not recommend wisdom teeth removal, or you decide to keep your wisdom teeth, it is vital that you visit your dentist regularly for routine checkups. The potential for developing significant problems later on exists, and only your dentist will be able to properly monitor your teeth to ensure that your oral health is at its best.