Most of us have heard of wisdom teeth before and most likely have had them extracted at some point in our lives. But what do we really know about wisdom teeth and why do we have them to begin with?
Here, we’ll take a look at some interesting facts about wisdom teeth that you may not have known.
- Wisdom teeth are the last set of adult teeth to appear.
- They usually come in between the age of 17-25.
- A full set of wisdom teeth is composed of four teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw. The number of wisdom teeth we each have can often vary. While most of us are born with four wisdom teeth, some individuals may only have three, while some may have fewer or even none at all.
- Because these teeth erupt so late, it also leads to some dental challenges, particularly with limited space in the mouth that can cause an impact on how straight these teeth might be. If not managed well there is a risk of complications.
- Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they cause overcrowding of teeth which can lead to more serious dental problems. It’s not necessarily true that all wisdom teeth have to be removed. In fact, if the wisdom teeth are healthy, aligned properly and showing no signs of decay, there is no requirement to pull them.
- It is important to have your wisdom teeth regularly checked to see if they are causing any problems.
- It is commonly believed that wisdom teeth got their name because they grow in during an age when one gains wisdom during adulthood.
- Wisdom teeth can be impacted due to lack of space in the jaw.
- The wisdom teeth can cause pain and swelling when they come in, which can be alleviated with over-the-counter medications.
- After a wisdom tooth extraction, it is important to follow all your dentist’s instructions for healing.
Wisdom teeth are a unique set of our teeth that many of us have had to deal with in some form. While our ancestors used these teeth for grinding food, many of us don’t have the jawbone space for them and may require them to be extracted.
Still, there’s some interesting facts about wisdom teeth that can help us to understand them better.
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