5 Interesting Facts About Wisdom Teeth

Does the mention of wisdom teeth send chills down your spine? Are you in pain and need some guidance to understand your condition?

Good news! We have listed some interesting facts about wisdom teeth. Reading this will help you know more about the same.

Here are some wise facts about wisdom teeth are:

1. Wisdom teeth are named after the age when they appear

People tend to believe that we become wise around the age of 17–25. And hence the tooth that erupts from behind the second molars, during this age, has been named to mark or refer to this age. Whether or not you get wise if you get wisdom teeth or vice-versa is a new ball game altogether!

Also, irrespective of which part of the world you travel to, you will find a local name and possibly some folklore for these teeth. For example, in Korean, they are called “Love teeth”. It is believed that people find their first love during late teens or early twenties.

2. They don’t always cause pain

They are besmirched for being painful because most people experience unnerving pain when wisdom teeth appear. But they are not always that painful. There are cases where people have successfully grown wisdom teeth without ever knowing they have them. Surprising right?

The fact is, if your wisdom teeth grow in the right direction from the beginning, you may not experience any pain. However rare these cases may be, they are there. And you do not need to fret about the pain always. After a complete dental examination, if your dentist says that your wisdom teeth are harmless, believe them.

3. They don’t serve any purpose now

Wisdom teeth help chew tough food and enhance the efficiency of the previous 2 molars. But our diets have changed drastically. Our ancestors might have had to chew tougher foods than us. And hence wisdom teeth might have been extremely useful a few centuries back! But they aren’t now. And perhaps our bodies are still designed to serve purposes that we no longer practice. Our future generations might evolve into not having wisdom teeth at all.

4. It is fine to get your wisdom teeth extracted

When they grow wrong, which is the scenario in most cases, they cause extreme pain. And besides this pain, they can harm the roots of adjacent teeth as well. Going to the dentist at the first sign of wisdom teeth arrival is the best option. Your dentist can guide you about the course you need to follow in dealing with your wisdom teeth extraction. If they are positioned in a way as to not harm other teeth or cause pain, your dentist will advise you accordingly.

But as with majority cases, they may be the cause of greater troubles later. In those cases, it is completely fine if your dentist advises you for wisdom teeth removal and stop it from inviting more troubles. We already know that they are not quite useful to us now.

5. You might never get one at all

As astonishing as it may seem, it is a fact. Some people might never get a wisdom tooth ever. And it is completely all right. Wisdom teeth are not a necessity. An average person can chew their food efficiently and enjoy good health without having wisdom teeth. Do not panic if your wisdom teeth do not appear during the age of 17–25 or even after that. Everyone has their own pace. It is always helpful to consult your cosmetic dentist and ask for an opinion. Dentists can help you understand your dental health better.

In the end, it is not unwise to say that wisdom teeth are not as bad as we have perceived from the experiences of others around us. When in doubt, you can always visit a dentist to have your doubts solved.