Wisdom Teeth: Is Removing Them the WISE Thing to Do?
Let’s just put this out there from the get-go... I call wisdom teeth “the good for nothin’ teeth.” :)
In most cases, we don’t have room for them.
If this is the case with you, you should have them taken out. No question. They will only cause you problems, which we’ll talk a bit more about below.
If you DO have room for them, please consider this:
Most people only BARELY have room for them and aren’t able to clean the teeth well enough to maintain and keep them healthy.
They end up “falling out the hard way” by growing tartar “barnacles,” getting infected with gingivitis, periodontal disease, cavities, and MORE.
It’s usually the smarter and easier route to just have them taken out.
Every now and then, we have that perfect person who can keep their wisdom teeth clean and maintain them well.
These people are usually the “big mouthes.” :)
I’m not saying anything about their character here, of course. I’m saying that they are those who have been BLESSED with the big, broad, beautiful smiles that allow room for everything to work together perfectly.
In this case, it’s okay for them to keep their wisdom teeth AS LONG AS they are diligent about keeping them clean.
What problems can wisdom teeth cause?
If you’ve been told by your dentist that you should have your wisdom teeth out but haven’t done so or don’t want to, please just take a minute to listen to what can happen...
1. If the wisdom teeth are coming in sideways, 90% of the time they will be aiming towards the back of the tooth that is in front of it. The wisdom tooth will keep trying to erupt until it hits something that stops it.
Well, that something will be that 12-year molar in front of it. By the time it hits that molar, the wisdom tooth will have eaten its way through the bone on the backside of it.
This bone holds that 12-year molar solidly in your mouth. You don’t want it to get bulldozed over. You don’t want any damage to be done to the back of that 12-year molar when the two teeth collide.
If this DOES happen, the oral surgeon will take out the wisdom tooth and may also need to add a bone graft to save the area.
2. Sometimes, when the wisdom tooth hits the 12-year molar, a corner of the wisdom tooth pops up above the gumline.
When this happens, the wisdom tooth can be seen a bit and is “partially erupted.”
A whole mess of a food trap forms. This will only lead to plaque bacteria getting trapped there. Infection will form. Cavities can develop, and further bone can get eaten away.
You could lose your 12-year molar along with a wisdom tooth if you wait too long to have it taken out. The infection and decay will affect both teeth in the end.
3. As we said in the beginning: If you DO have room for them to come in, but they are too challenging to reach way back to clean, nothing good will come of it.
The bacteria left behind will cause cavities and or bone disease.
You’ll end up with filling after filling…then onto a crown. If the cavities get too big, maybe even a root canal. Your dental hygienist even has a hard time cleaning them thoroughly themselves!
Lots of money spent and lots of dental visits for a tooth you never would have missed.
When should wisdom teeth be taken out then?
Some Oral Surgeons are taking wisdom teeth out as early as 13-14 years old now.
The teeth are merely buds at that time. No roots have formed yet, and the bone is less dense. It’s a much easier procedure the earlier you get it done.
The oral surgeon will determine if it’s time or not.
It’s better if the tooth buds are closer to the surface for ease of access, but this is where their expertise takes the wheel. They have to see your exact situation to make that call.
All you need is for your honest dentist to refer you over for a consultation with the oral surgeon. There, they will give you their expert opinion.
Your willingness and understanding of why it might be best to take them out is the final step. :)
The longer you wait, the longer the roots are, and the harder those teeth want to cling onto the bone they are in.
If your wisdom teeth are “impacted,” meaning that they are underneath the bone, general anesthesia would be recommended. It would be best to get “put to sleep.”
If the teeth have erupted and your oral surgeon or honest dentist is able to access them nicely, the procedure isn’t quite as extensive. You may have the choice to be awake or to go under general anesthesia. That call is yours. The oral surgeon will help you decide.
Follow their recommendations along with our trick below after you get them removed. You want to heal as easily and quickly as possible.
THE BEST advice we can give you for healing:
For the first 24 hours after wisdom tooth removal, use ice packs or bags of frozen peas...Have MULTIPLE packs ready in the freezer so that you can switch them in and out.
Put the ice ON and then OFF the cheeks in 20 min intervals...20 min on, 20 min off...no exceptions!
If the patient falls asleep, have someone there to help wake them up or change it out for them.
***Don’t use a straw until the oral surgeon says that you can. Follow their recommendations for soft foods too.
You’ll be a much happier camper this way. Your swelling will be much more minimal, and your healing will be faster.
But do wisdom teeth make me smarter? Why are they called that!? :)
Wisdom teeth got their name because they are ready to erupt when we are about 18 years old...
18 years of age was, at one time, the age when we humans had gained enough wisdom to enter the big adult world.
But maybe they even got their name because we should have enough wisdom at 18 to know that we should have them taken out!!!? LOL
All in all, no, you’re not going to lose your wisdom by having them removed.
There will always be more wisdom to gain in life if you choose to seek it out. Lifelong learners are my favorite!!
We sure hope this answered your questions about wisdom teeth and maybe even gave you a bit of extra knowledge too!
Though it would be best if we did, we’ll never claim to know it all, all of the time. NO ONE knows it all! We do claim honesty though, and we sincerely want to help as many people as we can! Our patients have maintained beautifully, following our conservative recommendations :)
So, thanks so much for reading and letting us spill our SODA! Remember to take the time to find your HONEST DENTIST, and be sure to browse around our links and follow us on social media for answers to more of your exciting dental questions, like:
