Introduction: Benefits Of Wisdom Teeth Removal
Getting your wisdom teeth removed has always been something you knew you would have to do one day. It’s usually a rite of passage into adulthood, sort to speak. It’s something that is done around 17-18 years old. We don’t really think to question why, we just know that one day we’ll have to do it, and then we'll get to eat ice cream after. Lately, it seems people are opting against removal, and the question of is it really necessary seems to be popping up. So, let us take a look at some benefits of wisdom teeth removal, and why it is still very important.
Benefits Of Wisdom Teeth Removal
Pain
This seems to be the number one reason that people begin the process of removing their wisdom teeth. The teeth will start to grow out of the gum and cause pain. Or even if your wisdom teeth aren’t growing out, they can become impacted and start to push your other teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth are usually responsible for causing the most pain, and the reason why removal becomes more necessary and urgent.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Having impacted wisdom teeth just doesn’t cause immense pain, it can also highly affect your health. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause a lot of dental problems, and even tooth decay. Because of their position, it can be extremely hard to clean them properly and may result in the need for a root canal down the road. The decay can also cause not only bad breath but also a bad taste in your mouth. The pressure that the teeth will cause as it grows can not only cause tooth pain, but also jaw pain. This jaw pain can be so intense that at times just the act of opening your mouth can seem impossible.
Cysts
So besides pain and bad breath, other issues could pop up by not removing your wisdom teeth. More serious health issues such as cysts. Your wisdom teeth develop in a sac inside your jaw. Most of the time the sac will fill with fluid. The fluid build-up can cause a cyst within your jawbone and nerves. In some cases, the cyst can then turn into a tumor. Most likely a noncancerous tumor, but damaging enough that you will need to have part of the tissue and bone removed. It’s important to remove your wisdom teeth before it gets to this stage. This is why wisdom teeth are often removed during the last year of high school, so it doesn’t get to this point. You don’t want to wait for the pain and tooth decay to set in before you remove them, it’s best to go ahead before it gets serious.
Infection & Gum Diseases
Some people opt to wait until it’s “necessary.” Some doctors say that wisdom teeth can grow normally, not impacted, and therefore it’s not necessary to remove. However, most will agree that even if there is no pain, and no impact, there are other disadvantages to keeping your wisdom teeth. Even if you allow your wisdom teeth to grow fully, and they line up nice and neat next to your other teeth, the fact is there just isn’t a lot of space in the back of your mouth for them. The close proximity to your other teeth makes it that much harder to properly clean the wisdom teeth. Bacteria can and will easily grow, causing not only cavities but tooth decay and weakened gums, leading to gum disease.
Increase in Tasting Abilities
So far all the reasons to remove your wisdom teeth have been mostly scary. Pain, decay, cysts, and tumors. However, there are other reasons to remove them, that have nothing to do with any of that. A study by Penn Medicine revealed that people that have had their wisdom teeth removed in the past, on average have an increase from 3-10% in their tasting ability. The study took place over 20 years with 1,255 participants. Of all the participants, 891 had opted for the third molar removal, while all of the 1,255 participants underwent taste tests. It was then proven that the removal of the third molar positively affected the tasting abilities.
Conclusion: Benefits Of Wisdom Teeth Removal
So there you have it. Removing your wisdom teeth seems like a no-brainer. It helps ease tooth pain and lessens your chance of cavities, tooth decay, gum diseases, and future dental surgeries. And you also are able to taste even better than the person who opts to keep theirs! Honestly, the mention of bad breath alone should be enough to have you decide to remove yours.
Finally, you now know the Wisdom Teeth Removal benefits. Also, please check Kefi Mind‘s front page to see other cool articles on health and more.