Why experts now say not to remove your wisdom teeth? Wisdom teeth may cause numerous issues, from decayed impacted tooth to gum disease and pericoronitis bacterial infection resulting in painful or swollen gums, bad taste or smell and cysts.
Dentists and oral surgeons often advise people to have their wisdom teeth extracted, but is this really necessary?
It’s a Case-by-case Decision
No definitive decision should be made when it comes to wisdom teeth removal, although most dentists generally agree that extraction may be the best course of action if painful symptoms or signs of disease such as decay or infection exist. On the other hand, having your wisdom teeth extracted might not be worth risking their removal if they remain healthy and don’t cause any issues at all.
Although wisdom tooth extraction may be recommended during adolescence, it’s not always necessary. Many individuals who opt for early removal often don’t experience issues later on in life. Instead of extracting their wisdom teeth completely, some prefer having theirs monitored through regular dental exams and X-rays; that way doctors can monitor them and recommend removal if there’s a concern.
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Wisdom teeth are the molars located at the very back of your mouth, just above your gum tissue. Unfortunately, these molars can be difficult to reach with toothbrushes and floss; often becoming crooked or damaged upon coming in incorrectly causing infections, cysts or damage to other teeth as they come in incorrectly. In order to avoid such problems, extraction was once almost always advised as the only solution – however now experts warn this surgery may be unnecessary or even hazardous in certain instances; decisions should be made with guidance from an oral surgeon in accordance with his/her expertise when necessary and depending on each case-by-case basis when appropriate and advice taken from the oral surgeon in question.
It’s a Risky Procedure
As wisdom teeth remain in your mouth for longer, their impact increases exponentially. Issues associated with wisdom teeth could include tooth decay, gum disease affecting surrounding teeth or cysts and benign growths that require attention. You can avoid such issues by regularly brushing and flossing as well as seeing your dentist at least twice annually for dental examinations.
Wisdom teeth are remnants from centuries past, when our ancestors needed to chew tougher food. But with today’s diets and improved oral hygiene practices, the wisdom teeth no longer provide vital functions in maintaining good health.
Unfortunately, wisdom teeth often become impacted and cause back of mouth pain that lasts months or years. Painful back of mouth symptoms usually indicate wisdom tooth impaction because their roots press against jawbone or cheek nerves causing discomfort in this region of your mouth.
In most instances, it’s recommended that your impacted wisdom teeth are extracted by a dentist; however, sometimes an oral surgeon with additional training in surgery of bones, teeth and jaws is better equipped. Extracting wisdom teeth may result in complications like dry socket (painful, sensitive jaw tissue from an empty tooth socket), infections or damage to nearby teeth.
It’s Expensive
Although most dentists and oral surgeons agree that wisdom teeth should be extracted if they’re painful or cause other issues, some are now questioning if preemptively extracting these wisdom teeth is always necessary – particularly in people who do not present symptoms for removal of wisdom teeth.
Once people reach maturity, wisdom teeth extraction may become necessary. Wisdom molars have been shown to crowd out other teeth and cause long-term issues such as decay. But sometimes extracting wisdom teeth before any issue arises isn’t necessarily beneficial. Here are a few reasons why wisdom tooth extraction might not always be best:
One major reason is the cost associated with wisdom tooth extraction surgery. A person will require anesthesia and time off work or school for this process to occur – something which could prove expensive for those without sufficient funds or enough flexibility in their schedule to have done.
Wisdom teeth may sometimes erupt without any issues, which could be considered an evolutionary holdover from when our ancient ancestors had larger jaws and needed extra teeth for chewing tougher foods.
It’s not Always Necessary
Most adults will eventually acquire wisdom teeth, which are the third molars that usually appear during young adulthood. Left untreated, wisdom teeth can cause dental issues like pain, tooth decay, bone damage and gum disease; they may also crowd out other teeth which could result in misalignments of bite alignments. Dentists once advised removing wisdom teeth as soon as possible in order to avoid future issues; this advice has now changed.
Removal of wisdom teeth may help avoid complications, but in certain instances it may not be necessary. One such instance would be when wisdom teeth come in straight and do not cause crowding issues; such cases would not require extraction.
As part of good oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist, it is also vitally important to maintain excellent oral hygiene and visit them frequently in order to monitor the growth and emergence of wisdom teeth and detect any impaction as soon as possible.
Avoid hard foods that could harm the erupting wisdom teeth, like hard candies. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will keep your mouth healthier; regular brushing, flossing, and the use of antimicrobial mouthwashes will keep your wisdom teeth looking their best; attending six month checkups can also help identify any problems before they worsen.