What Happens If You Don’t Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

Overland Park Family Dental
Thu, 13 Aug 2020 20:11:44 +0000
Cavity Prevention, Dental Health, Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth tend to emerge when you're between the ages of 17 and 25. Since humans now eat a much softer diet than their stone-aged predecessors, these teeth have become nearly useless. Read our blog post to learn why it is important to get your wisdom teeth removed.

The post What Happens If You Don’t Remove Your Wisdom Teeth appeared first on Overland Park Family Dental.

Your wisdom teeth grow in when you’re between the ages of 17 and 25, on average. Since humans now eat a much softer diet than their stone-aged predecessors, these teeth have become nearly useless. Although they don’t serve much of a purpose, they may cause you problems in the future if you choose not to remove them. That’s why at Overland Park Family Dental, serving Overland Park, Kansas and the nearby region, we offer our patients both traditional and surgical wisdom tooth extractions to prevent issues in the future.

Infection

Your wisdom teeth are more likely to develop an infection than your other teeth. For instance, if you have an impacted wisdom tooth, an infection may arise. As a result, you might suffer from jaw pain, bad breath, or even experience difficulty opening your mouth.

Even if your wisdom teeth fully erupt, these teeth are more likely to develop an infection. Your wisdom teeth aren’t as easy to clean since they sit so far back in your mouth. As a result, bacteria and food may remain between these teeth and around your gums, potentially causing an infection.

Damage to Other Teeth

Humans evolved so their jaws aren’t as broad as they once were. Unfortunately, wisdom teeth continue to develop and don’t always have enough room to grow in completely. Therefore, when they do erupt, they may damage your neighboring teeth or affect the location of your other teeth.

Cyst

A cyst can develop where you have an impacted wisdom tooth. While this fluid or pus-filled sac doesn’t pose a problem on its own, the cyst may erupt and cause damage to your nearby teeth.

Cavities

As mentioned above, your wisdom teeth are more difficult to clean. Ultimately, this means that they’re more prone to cavities. Not only can a cavity in your wisdom teeth cause you discomfort, but the bacteria from that cavity may also spread in your mouth and infect your other teeth.

While some are lucky enough to avoid a traditional surgical wisdom tooth extraction, not everyone is that fortunate. If you choose to leave your wisdom teeth in your mouth when a dentist should extract them, these teeth may cause complications in the future.

Book an appointment with our team at Overland Park Family Dental, serving Overland Park, Kansas and the surrounding area, to discuss wisdom tooth removal by calling us today at 913-439-4311.