How Wisdom Teeth Can Make Life Harder

Health & Medical Blog

Up until recently, dentists recommended preventative removal of wisdom teeth in adolescents to avoid future oral health problems. More modern outlook on wisdom teeth is that if they are healthy and taken care of, it is perfectly safe to keep them in your mouth. However, wisdom teeth, also known as the third molars, can make life a little more difficult for some people.

• Wisdom teeth make oral hygiene a more tedious task: If daily brushing, picking and flossing wasn't tedious enough, throwing a third row of molars into the mix can make oral hygiene seem like a never-ending job. Unfortunately, keeping your wisdom teeth requires extensive care to avoid tooth decay. Or worse.
• Alignment can get messed up with wisdom teeth: Our mouths are only so big and third molars do not come through the gums until the teen years. Because our mouths are fully developed when wisdom teeth come in, the other teeth are forced together. In some cases, the front or lower teeth can get jammed together and it can be quite noticeable when you smile. This misalignment can be a little uncomfortable—some people say their wisdom teeth rub against the very back of the inside of the cheek.
• Wisdom teeth may cause infections and inflammation: Going back to the oral hygiene issue, if wisdom teeth are not properly cared for, inflammation may occur. The very back of the mouth is not as easily cleaned, therefore becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The bacteria causes inflammation. Inflammation easily spreads to other teeth and eventually becomes an infection. Not only can infections cause discomfort, but in rare cases, infections of the mouth can get into the bloodstream and contribute to more serious diseases. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke are several of the diseases that may come from infections of the mouth.
• The older you get, the more difficult wisdom teeth are to remove: Young people bounce back from most things easier, with wisdom teeth removal being no exception. When wisdom teeth are removed in adolescence, they have not typically broken through the gums yet, making removal and recovery easier. Once wisdom teeth have fully broken through the gums, it becomes a more invasive oral surgery. Recovery may be more painful as well.

Not everyone needs their wisdom teeth removed; dentists actually believe now it's safe to keep them if there are no issues. People with smaller mouths or who are prone to oral infections and cavities may opt to have their wisdom teeth removed to avoid dealing with the issues above. For more help, contact a company like Campus Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery with your questions.

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2 October 2014