It seems as though everyone gets their wisdom teeth removed. Have you ever wondered why we have them in the first place? Why we should remove them before they completely grow in?
There is a theory that a long time ago, people used to lose their teeth at an earlier age due to poor oral hygiene habits and malnourishment. Their wisdom teeth would grow in later and they would be happy to receive a new set of teeth!
These days, wisdom teeth have become unnecessary.
Here are some reasons why we remove wisdom teeth today:
Limited space in the jaw for the wisdom teeth to come in. This can be very painful experience as their is not enough space to support the new teeth!
Not enough space in your mouth. With all of your teeth already in place, it can feel like a full house! When adding in a new set of teeth, it can lead to overcrowding.
There is a higher potential of damage to adjacent teeth when the wisdom teeth come in. Wisdom teeth can come in at interfering angles which can cause damage to your surrounding teeth.
Wisdom teeth are hard to keep clean. They are very far back into your mouth, which means they are difficult to reach when brushing or flossing! This may make you more prone to develop cavities or gum disease.
If you still have your wisdom teeth, let’s plan ahead! Make an appointment at Maple Family Dentistry so we can monitor them. If you are having any pain, see us as soon as possible!