Thread by @BowTiedGatorDDS

"You need to get your wisdom teeth removed"

Almost everyone has heard this from their dentist at some point, but is it true?

Are they enamel bombs waiting to blow up?

Or are they the hidden link to the tooth/body connection by meridians?

Wisdom teeth (third molars) get their name because of the age in which they erupt. They start to peek their heads out around 18-25 years old, when you're supposed to be a "wiser" adult.

Some people never get them at all, it's more common than you think.

Our ancestors had bigger jaws than us because their diet was much less soft.

This doesn't mean go nuts and start chewing rocks to develop a masculine jawline, just be normal and eat natural foods.

As our jaws shrink each generation, there's no room for these teeth to come in.

Do I need my wisdom teeth?

You have 28 teeth without them, and 32 if we include them. You'll be fine if they're removed or never come in but they do have a few benefits:

Facial fullness and lower jaw strength.

After having wisdom teeth removed there will be bone loss, it's how the body works. This may result in less facial fullness and dampened jawline.

You're also at an increased risk for a jaw fracture at the angle of the mandible during lower wisdom tooth removal and even after.

There are lots benefits to keeping healthy wisdom teeth:

More teeth, better chewing efficiency
Facial fullness
Jaw strength
Increased stability of the TMJ
Avoidance of surgery
More neurological activity (healthy for the brain)

However, just because I love wisdom teeth (I have all four of mine) does not mean I recommend everyone keep them at all costs.

Things can go wrong and usually the only solution is to remove them. I do my best to maintain them but there are plenty of instances when I remove them.

Good reasons to consider removal:

Deep cavity
Severe impaction
Bony defect due to angulation
Abscess

Wisdom teeth are really far back, they're very hard to keep clean.

Generally people suck at keeping their teeth clean. If you let a cavity progress far enough, I wouldn't spend too much money/time trying to fix them. If you wanted to keep them, ya should've taken care of them.

Impaction - what does it mean?

It means it's stuck, or its coming in sideways and can't fully erupt.

I tend to leave these alone when they're fully submerged in bone. When partially erupted, it's a highway for bacterial to travel down and destroy the tooth in front of it.

BUT GATOR THEY'RE SHIFTING MY FRONT TEETH!

No they aren't.

This is a myth that is perpetuated by doctors and patients.

Wisdom teeth do not cause your front teeth to shift. Shifting of front teeth tends to happen around the same age wisdom teeth come in, so they get the blame.

As wisdom teeth come in, you may find that they hurt. Sometimes this is an issue, but other times it's an adult version of teething called pericoronitis.

This condition is associated but unrelated to the need for removal, and can be managed by irrigation, laser, or disinfection.

You've probably heard about mewing and how it can help them erupt.

This is true, but you're probably too old.

Mewing will promote jaw development, but it's most effective in children and teens. You can mew all you want but it won't help a a 29 yr old with impacted wisdom teeth.

In conclusion, keep your wisdom teeth if you can. If someone is recommending you remove them, there better be a reason besides "just do it".

If you actually need them removed, don't feel subhuman. It's fine, these things happen. You aren't destined for a life of deprivation.