Wisdom Teeth in History
Our ancestors ate a range of food that was more difficult to navigate than what we eat today. This meant their jaws were more developed and equipped to accommodate and use their wisdom teeth when they came through in early adulthood. Their wisdom teeth, which were larger and sharper, were essential for breaking down tougher food.
Wisdom Teeth Today
Many people are experiencing issues relating to lack of jaw development due to eating an industrialised diet that requires little chewing. This means our smaller jaws do not have room for our wisdom teeth to erupt safely and without problems.
What’s the Big Deal
Some are lucky to have wisdom teeth come through without any issues, but for many of us they can cause a whole host of problems.
They can become impacted, which means they push into the next tooth risking decay. Or they get stuck and start growing at an angle. This can cause pain, infection and damage to the surrounding teeth. They can also crowd out other teeth and lead to misalignment.
Even if wisdom teeth do come in without any issues, they are often difficult to clean properly due to their location at the back of the mouth, which increases the risk of all the problems mentioned above.
Caitlin’s Story
Caitlin Alsop is a survivor of sepsis that was caused by an undetected impacted wisdom tooth. She developed an infection that she had no idea about. It was so serious that it burned her from the inside out, she nearly lost her whole tongue and was in a coma. She is now advocating for sepsis awareness. It just goes to show that even if your wisdom teeth seem fine to you, they may cause unexpected and serious issues. Read more of Caitlin’s story here.
It is generally recommended that wisdom teeth be removed before they have a chance to cause any further damage. The removal is usually a straightforward procedure. Learn more about it here.
The cost can typically be upwards of $2,500 at most dentists. But at Value Dental Centres we offer a fixed rate of just $999 for all 4 teeth, no matter the situation or complexity. Now that’s value!
Contact us to book in for your FREE consultation and assessment to find out whether your wisdom teeth need removing or not, and to make a treatment plan from there.
