Just how did wisdom teeth get their name?
Are they smarter than the rest of your teeth? Well wisdom teeth, or third molars, can be seen all the way at the back of the jaw. They are called wisdom teeth because they are the final teeth to develop. Third molars have been called the ‘teeth of wisdom’ since the 17th Century and later in the 19th century it evolved to just ‘wisdom teeth’.
Generally wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17 and 25, the age where people reach adulthood, it is thought that they are called as such because they appear during the age when a person is much “wiser” than when the other teeth have erupted. We can see that the eruption of the wisdom teeth is a sign that you have gone way past the carefree days of being a child and you have entered the realm of responsible adulthood. Most adults have four wisdom teeth. However, it is also natural to have fewer.
Why do we have wisdom teeth?
Having wisdom teeth were once extremely useful, but now, it serves a little purpose because of the change in our dietary needs. As time went on, our eating habits have also changed. Coarse food was once in our diet, which caused teeth to wear down. As the teeth take up lesser space in the jaw over time, they were forced to work harder and develop a larger bone. This instance created room for the wisdom teeth in the mouth for them to come in. Nowadays, processed food and modern changes in dentistry made the wisdom teeth less important because of the reduced wearing down of the teeth, causing less space in the jaw for the wisdom teeth to be accommodated.
Will I need to have the wisdom teeth taken out?
No, if there is enough room they will usually come through into a useful position and cause no more problems than any other tooth. Once wisdom teeth were taken out routinely now dentists try to leave them alone if they aren’t causing frequent problems.
Will it hurt when the wisdom teeth come through?
Sometimes there will be some slight discomfort as they come through, but this is only temporary and will disappear once the tooth is fully in position. Often the teeth can move a little then stop for a few weeks or several months then come through a little more, causing temporary discomfort. Food and plaque trapping around the wisdom teeth is another common problem which can cause discomfort but with thorough toothbrushing and a good mouthwash this can keep problems at bay.
Remember if you have any concerns about your wisdom teeth and if you are cleaning them properly or worried that they may need to be removed then speak to your dentist.