10 Nerdy Facts About Wisdom Teeth
Most people are less concerned about wisdom teeth, maybe because they develop at an older age. Generally, wisdom teeth are third molars, usually located in the very back of the mouth. Most people pay more attention to their wisdom teeth when they cause pain and swelling. Below are key facts about wisdom teeth.
- Wisdom teeth have excellent chewing power.
Wisdom teeth are highly essential for chewing and grinding foods. They were especially helpful to the ancient ancestors when chewing tough food items like meat, foraged foods, and roots. While time has evolved and our diet does not require tough chewing, they are still beneficial for easy eating and chewing. Best sure to clean these back teeth thoroughly as they are more susceptible to decay.
- You can use wisdom teeth to produce stem cells.
While wisdom teeth might seem unnecessary because we no longer have to eat tough food items, there are beneficial in other ways. For instance, some research suggests that you can use wisdom teeth to produce stem cells.
- Wisdom teeth erupt between ages 16 – 25.
Wisdom teeth are the last to form. They generally erupt in the late teenage and early adulthood, between the ages of 16 – 25. However, they can develop at any point. In 2017, a 94-year-old man developed a wisdom tooth. He is the oldest person to have grown a wisdom tooth.
- The specific number of wisdom teeth varies.
It’s normal not to develop wisdom teeth at all. Commonly, wisdom teeth develop in pairs, two on the upper jaw and two on the lower jaw. In rare cases, people develop less or more than four wisdom teeth. Teeth that appear after the fourth molar are called supernumerary teeth.
- The amounts of roots in a wisdom tooth can differ.
The amounts of roots attached to a specific wisdom tooth can differ. That’s why most wisdom teeth extractions require surgery.
- Your wisdom tooth can be impacted.
When a wisdom tooth doesn’t have enough space in the jaw to erupt and grow naturally, it can get trapped within the gum line. Such a tooth is said to be impacted. In most cases, an impacted tooth can cause damage to the surrounding teeth, gum tissues, and bone.
Many patients complain about discomforts such as tooth pain, jaw pain, headaches, and earaches. An impacted tooth also increases your risk of plaque and bacteria build-up around it, making you susceptible to tooth decay.
- Impacted wisdom teeth should be removed.
If your tooth is impacted, the best remedy is to extract it. Even if the tooth isn’t causing any problems right now, it can cause them in the future. Extracting an impacted tooth is somehow complicated and thus requires surgical intervention.
Fortunately, you’ll have anesthesia keep you relaxed and painless throughout the procedure. You’ll also have medications to manage pain, swelling, and other discomforts.
Follow your dentist’s instructions to facilitate speedy healing and recovery and prevent infections. Fortunately, these symptoms should fade away within a few days. Be sure to stick to a soft diet to avoid disturbing the surgical site.
- Most people have at least one impacted tooth.
About 90% of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth. Since times are evolving, most people lack enough jaw to accommodate wisdom teeth like our primitive ancestors. We don’t need wisdom teeth as much as our ancestors did in ancient times.
- Not everyone has wisdom teeth.
According to research by the Dental Research Journal, about 5 – 37% of the population lack one or more of their wisdom teeth. While the specific reason is unknown, it could have something to do with genetics.
- You don’t always need wisdom teeth.
Like the sinuses, appendix, and coccyx, your wisdom teeth have lost some of their ancestral function. That said, you can function normally without them.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Do you need more information about wisdom teeth, or perhaps you have an impacted tooth, and you’re looking for wisdom tooth extraction in Great Neck, NY? Contact Great Neck Dental Associates to schedule your appointment today.