Wisdom Teeth, Foe of Dentists

Ah, the wisdom tooth, a tooth that does so little to live up to its name. It is believed that wisdom teeth evolved out of our early ancestor’s need for additional chewing capabilities when faced with a coarse diet. These days we don’t have quite such a need for these extra molars but yet for some of us, here they remain. These days our jaws are much smaller and so those of us who have held on to our ancestral roots (quite literally) can run into problems if our wisdom teeth become impacted. Wisdom teeth normally emerge around the ages of 17-25 and this is realistically the best time to get them whipped out, particularly if they have grown in at an odd angle and are coming into contact with your other teeth. Symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth are:

• Pain through the jaw
• Gum swelling and bleeding
• Difficulty speaking or moving jaw
• Infection – Feeling hot, under the weather with pain in the mouth

It can be tempting to leave your wisdom tooth to nature but unfortunately this can lead to all sorts of complications from tooth decay to repeat infections to cysts. You might not even be aware that you have wisdom teeth at all as often they cause no symptoms, this is why it is important to regularly visit your dentist as they can keep a close eye on any movement happening in the back of your jaw. If you do need them removed then there are all sorts of options that your dentist will discuss with you. The important thing to remember is that by having your wisdom teeth removed you are saving yourself from a potential heap of problems down the line that might not be so easily fixed. Plus, you get to eat ice-cream for a few days! If you have any questions, pop them in the comments below or get in touch directly through our enquiry form.