Wisdom comes with age and so do your wisdom teeth! Wisdom teeth (or third molars) usually appear between 17-25 years of age, but in some cases they appear many years later. The 4 wisdom teeth erupt at the back of the mouth, and they are the last set of adult teeth to appear.
Do we need to worry about wisdom teeth?
Some of the major concerns regarding the wisdom teeth include:
- Appearing in the wrong position or impacted under the gums which traps the food and results in pain and infections.
- Difficulty flossing and cleaning impacted wisdom teeth and the molars next to them which leads to gum problems and increased chance for decay.
- Crowding of wisdom teeth can damage the neighboring teeth.
- Forming a cyst which damages the roots of nearby teeth or the supporting bone.
You should seek advice from a dentist if there are any of the following signs associated with your third molars:
- Tooth decay
- Pain, swelling or infection
- Cysts/ Tumors
- Damage to neighboring teeth
- Gum disease
The dentist can examine and take x-rays to understand the position of the wisdom teeth and give the best advice to either relieve pain or remove them if they can lead to more problems.
References
- Wisdom Teeth, Mouth Healthy, American Dental Association
(https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/w/wisdom-teeth)
- Wisdom Teeth, Oral Health Foundation
(https://www.dentalhealth.org/wisdom-teeth)
- Wisdom tooth removal, NHS, UK
(https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/wisdom-tooth-removal/)
- Dental Health and Wisdom Teeth, Web MD
(https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/wisdom-teeth#1)
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