The truth is, I am writing this article about the importance of wisdom teeth while all of mine have been extracted. They have been gone for years. I am pretty sure many of yours have been long gone as well. I didn’t know any better. We trust our dentists to do the best job possible while often not even questioning their methods. I should’ve questioned and should’ve researched myself. But now I can share my research and finding with you so you can make the decisions for yourself and not just listen to your dentist just because he tells you so. Many of us have been told that wisdom teeth need to be extracted just because they are not really needed. According to the dentists, they are just unnecessary teeth that just inconveniently crowd out mouths.
What are wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth, also called the Third Molars, are the furthest back teeth. They usually come in when you are in your late teens or early twenties. According to a report published in the American Journal of Public Health, more than 67 % of preventative wisdom teeth removals are unnecessary. Out of 10 million wisdom teeth extractions in America each year, only 20 proved to be necessary. You have to understand that the old tale about wisdom teeth causing all kind of illnesses, is simply not true. Let’s look at it realistically, it’s a big money maker (around a billion dollars a year) for the dental industry.
In the 1900s, Dr. Weston A. Price did extensive research on the connection between oral health and diseases. He discovered native tribes, with their traditional diets, that were almost 100 percent free of tooth decay. He came to the conclusion that dental and overall health lie in nutrition. Fortunately, this discovery is practiced by holistic dentists nowadays whom understand that when you supply enough nutrients to the jaw bone during its development, all 32 teeth will have proper space in your mouth without crowding. This means that proper nutrition is the key behind trouble free wisdom teeth.
Dr. Weston Price also discovered that once these tribes started consuming sugar and white flour, their perfect healthy teeth, quickly deteriorated.
I highly recommend reading his fascinationg and eye-opening book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
Why You Need Your Wisdom Teeth
Our teeth are vital, living organs within and connected to the body as a whole. Wisdom teeth are connected (according to acupuncture meridians) to our small intestine and the front of our pituitary gland. In fact, 46 percent of the motor and sensory nerves in your brain’s cerebral cortex are interconnected to your mouth and face. So any time a tooth is removed, it disturbs and breaks an acupuncture meridian that flows through the area of that tooth. The meridian acupuncture system, known in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than 5000 years, shows the vital relationship between your teeth and your joints, spinal segments, vertebrae, organs and endocrine glands.
References:
Stockton, S., “Jawbone Cavitations: Infarction, Infection and Systemic Disease”, Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, April 2000.
Friedman, DDS, MPH, Jay. “The Prophylactic Extraction of Third Molars: A Public Health Hazard.” American Journal of Public Health 97.September (2007): 1554. Print.
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Interesting! Mine have been removed as well as teeth 6,11,22, and 27. And I have problems in the corresponding areas! I will definitely do my research when/if my kids’ dentist recommends it! Mine were removed for purely cosmetic reasons but my teeth are crooked now anyways!
I did not have any problems with my wisdom teeth until I became pregnant. The hormones prompted them to start coming out. I probably would have left them alone if they hadn’t left me awake wracked in pain all night or kept causing sinus infections. Once they were out, within a week I was feeling better, and no more sinus issues. But before I got pregnant they were a total non-issue 🙂
I never had mine out but my top right wisdom tooth had decayed. Most of it broke off but the root is still intact. It doesn’t hurt or bother me in any way… Do you think I should have it removed bc of the state it’s in? Thanks
I disagree. While some dentist can have an aggressive approach, and maybe chase after the wisdom teeth. There are times when it is necessary to extract them. Which is why the dentist will take xrays. There can be cysts that form around the tooth that can grow pretty large and eliminate some of the bone surrounding the tooth. This is called a dentigerous or follicular cyst. Also, when the tooth doesn’t have enough room to grow in fully, it can create a space behind the tooth that is still covered by gum tissue and trap food and bacteria. It then becomes impossible for you to clean behind there. Meaning that there is stagnant decomposing food debris and bacteria underneath the gum tissue. And still another instance would be if the person cannot effectively clean those teeth which can cause decay or gum problems. While I agree that there are times when they do not need to come out, there are also times when they should. This post seems a little misleading and maybe scaring people unnecessarily. I encourage each person to ask appropriate questions and research and discuss things with their dentist or even get a second opinion to ease your mind.
…I also wanted to respond to Colleen’s comment above, about cleaning behind the wisdom teeth. When you use an oral irrigator, with an attachment called the “cannula” which is a very thin, almost needle like that allows the irrigator to shoot pulses of water and liquid herbal nutrients under the gumline, it reaches behind the back of the wisdom teeth so the can be effectively cleaned. The liquid solution from your irrigator dilutes the bacteria under the gumline so it can’t “colonize” and cause infections under the gumline, and cause the main reason why our teeth fall out which is the bacteria forces the gums to separate from the tooth. As I said in the third link below, I actually reversed this condition in one of my other teeth using an irrigator (not the wisdom tooth, but that is not the point). So I totally disagree that you can’t keep your wisdom teeth clean and free of bacteria..
If you have cysts, you have other problem to deal with. Usually that is a warning sign that you are deficient in micronutrients. There are a lot of supplements for that. After my dentist removed two wisdom teeth over my left side, I have hard time cleaning it. The teeth in front easily got cavities. I don’t have as much problem with my right side still with wisdom teeth.
Mine came out at 18, because they weren’t coming through the gums, they were growing into the roots of my other molars (I have very tight jaw/teeth, and can barely fit ribbon floss between them). My 11 year old has hers coming through now. If we can keep them, we will.
I am 32 and had the bottom right removed in april. It started to came in feb. and then stopped causing me to have a gum flap over the tooth which caused a lot of problems. I still have the other 3 and thats where they will stay.
Finally!!! Some confirmation of what happened to me about 10 years ago, when I instinctively thought my dentist was trying to rip me off and talked me into getting my wisdom teeth pulled. He didn’t give any real reason, except “it’s hard to keep them clean” and other miscellaneous crap. Now that I am into Oil Pulling (which is an Ayurvedic technicque of swishing sesame oil around teh mouth every morning to pull toxins out) and an oral irrigator to flush out microscopic food particles from the mouth including below the gum line, and after reversing my periodontal disease, I know now that I can keep my teeth forever. You can read more on my oral techniques at the links below (I’m a not for profit wellness blog, so don’t worry, I’m not trying to sell you anything)
http://www.gaiahealthblog.com/2012/08/20/oil-pulling/
http://www.gaiahealthblog.com/2013/02/27/oral-irrigator/
http://www.gaiahealthblog.com/2011/12/21/gumdisease/
…just wanted to clarify in my comments above that the dentist tried to get me to get my wisdom teeth pulled, but I refused, because I thought he was trying to think of any way to bill my insurance…….
…I also wanted to respond to Colleen’s comment above, about cleaning behind the wisdom teeth. When you use an oral irrigator, with an attachment called the “cannula” which is a very thin, almost needle like that allows the irrigator to shoot pulses of water and liquid herbal nutrients under the gumline, it reaches behind the back of the wisdom teeth so the can be effectively cleaned. The liquid solution from your irrigator dilutes the bacteria under the gumline so it can’t “colonize” and cause infections under the gumline, and cause the main reason why our teeth fall out which is the bacteria forces the gums to separate from the tooth. As I said in the third link above, I actually reversed this condition in one of my other teeth using an irrigaror (not the wisdom tooth, but that is not the point). So I totally disagree that you can’t keep your wisdom teeth clean and free of bacteria..
Mine stop growing, once in a while it gives me pain and pulse. My doctor adviced me to remove it since i am now 33 years and its not coming out fully
This is EXACTLY why we tell our patients do listen to everything you read on GOOGLE! It is post like the that crest a very distorted image of dentistry! To start DENTAL professionals go to school for 4-10 years -hygienist (4-6) dentist (7-8) oral surgeon (10) and they go to school to learn how to best diagnose and or treat your teeth! This blog is mind boggling to me the distorted image that some people put up there and try to ruin the profession. For starters Wisdom teeth (3rd Molars) have no real function and they are not necessary. Over 70% (majority) of patients do not floss which is necessary to have healthy teeth. That being said and even higher percentage can not get to their very back teeth (Wisdom Teeth)! So if you put those 3 things together alone it would make sense to remove them- functionless teeth that you most likely are not taking care of! Now let me go in a little further… If you aren’t taking good care of your teeth you are high risk for cavities and periodontal DISEASE which both by the way are contagious! Still don’t wantbthem taken out? The also if not fully erupted could one day erupt and push your teeth in front of it together because they don’t fit. If this happens you will then need to get braces or a clear aligner. Also this is the dentist disclaimers (I am a hygienist by the way) Dentists absolutely hate pulling third molars it is not enjoyable whatsoever to almost all of them but they want what is best for you. Just so you all know insurances and pulling your teeth pays VERY LITTLE so cost is out the question. So there you have it if dentist hate pulling them and money has no role in this situation must mean that you NEED IT pulled. The dentist are looking out for your overall health not your pocketbook. They also refer many wisdom teeth extractions out to the Oral Surgeon and the dentist didn’t do this for his own health it is for yours. Okay I’m done! So I hope everyone can understand a little better about how Google and some blogs can be VERY misleading. Stay Calm and ASK a dentist!
I floss mine just fine t: hank you
I disagree with this comment from the Hygienist. I had my wisdom teeth pulled out of one side and not the other (because I didn’t go back!). Twenty years on I have a small cavity (reversible through oil pulling) on the side the wisdom teeth where pulled out and the side the wisdon teeth is present is the picture of health! They never told me about this risk (increase cavity risk in neighboring teeth due to gum and bone loss, if you pull out your wisdom teeth)
I had to have my extracted because they had grow completely horizontally, my teeth are also very large and I have no space for even half a tooth to grow, I also had braces back then and the dentist warned me that it is best to remove them before i take the braces out in case they push my teeth back out of place. I did get numb on the left side of my chin and jaw, which i felt immediately after the surgery and it lasted for a year afterwards but it did heal completely. Where i live the only reason as far as i know, wisdom teeth extractions are done because of necessity, this is the first time i hear that they are done routinely and these “rumors” that they cause health problems. That is very strange indeed.
I am 25 still have wisdom teeth. All came out but one. They want to yank em all out. Dentist freaked me out. Told me all my teeth will start falling out if I don’t get them removed lol. I always have dreams of them falling out. I have bad jaw problems. Wouldn’t it make jaw worse pulling out teeth? I believe raw unrefined sugar is ok. Well I just don’t know what to do.