Wisdom teeth are those teeth that appear at the end of the jaw line. The majority of people have all four (there is one in each corner), but 10% don’t develop any.

Generally, wisdom teeth start to develop around the 10th birthday and they become more prominent between the ages of 16 and 25.

Once upon a time our ancestors used their wisdom teeth to chew on hard foods like meat. However, thanks to evolution, and cutlery, we don’t need the extra chewing help. This has rendered wisdom teeth useless.

There is no harm in keeping wisdom teeth. Problems arise when they do not grow in alignment, which can cause problems for gums, teeth, and the overall health of your mouth.

How Can I Tell If My Wisdom Teeth Need to Be Removed?

Wisdom teeth that are misaligned can allow bacteria into the gums, which will damage your oral health. Here are a few tips to suggest you need to have them removed.

• Tooth Decay – when your wisdom teeth finally break through the gum line, the tooth is more prone to tooth decay, as bacteria has an entry point to your gums. If you have a wisdom tooth that breaks through and the gums grow back over it, you may want to talk to your dentist about having it removed. This will be a more difficult removal, but your dentist will be able to advise you on what is best for your oral health.
• Pain, Swelling, & Stiffness – if your wisdom teeth grow in misaligned then they may rub against other teeth, leading to intense pain, swelling, and stiffness in your jaw and at the back of your mouth. You may have four wisdom teeth grow in, but just one of them causes you problems. The pain can be unbearable, leading to headaches, leading to an inability to sleep, and an increase in stress.
• Red & Inflamed Gums – it’s quite common for wisdom teeth to grow in awkwardly positioned. This can make it incredibly difficult to brush them properly, and even more so- get in between to floss. As a result of this your gums can become red and swollen- this is because of bacterial growth.

The easiest way to determine whether your wisdom teeth should be removed is by visiting your dentist for an x-ray. Your dentist can review your x-rays and track the progress and alignment of the wisdom teeth. It is vital to visit your dentist regularly, especially throughout the teen years and 20’s- this is to keep track of your wisdom teeth’s growth.

The actual process of removing wisdom teeth is not that difficult- your dentist will use anaesthetic to make you as comfortable as possible. You shouldn’t feel pain during the process, it’s generally just heavy pressure. If you think you have wisdom teeth that need removed, you should make an appointment with your dentist to discuss the issues you’re experiencing.