Wisdom teeth are often removed due to various reasons, including infection control, medical ethics, and legal liability. They can become infected, cause tooth decay or cysts, damage neighboring teeth, and cause a significant amount of discomfort. To help the healing process, it is important to brush your front teeth gently with water starting the day after the operation.
Myth 2: You Can’t Brush Your Teeth After Wisdom Tooth Extraction for a Week In Reality: While you don’t want to brush your teeth, spit, use mouthwash, or rinse your mouth for a week, it is best to take things as easy as possible and let yourself heal. Teeth that erupt in an upright and functional position often don’t need to be removed as long as they cause no pain and aren’t associated with decay or gum disease.
Myth 3: Dry Sockets Occur With Every Wisdom Tooth Extraction In Reality: While wisdom tooth extraction could lead to dry sockets, only half-erupted teeth need to be removed. The gums over the crown provide a good hiding spot for these teeth.
The American Dental Association (ADA) approved a policy that year saying the concerns of leaving wisdom teeth in don’t justify the risk of surgery. Each year, five million people have wisdom teeth removed, but it is up in the air whether all of those surgeries were necessary.
Experts say teeth should be removed when they cause health problems, but debate whether it’s good medicine to extract them preemptively when such issues occur. The truth is that wisdom teeth don’t need to be removed if they are healthy, grown in completely, and can be cleaned as part of daily hygiene.
📹 Dentists Debunk 14 Teeth Myths
Two dentists debunk 14 of the most common myths about teeth. They explain the science behind white teeth and what really …
Why can’t I keep anything down after wisdom teeth removal?
Nausea and vomiting are common post-wisdom tooth removal, often exacerbated by anesthesia. To alleviate the nausea, patients can consume coke or ginger ale. The nausea usually subsides within 4-6 hours, but if it persists, it’s recommended to contact the office. Some patients may experience nausea 2-4 days post-surgery due to pain medication or dehydration.
Other complications include fever, dizziness, stiffness, and sore throat. These symptoms should subside, but if they persist, it’s crucial to contact the office. Proper dental care is essential, including brushing and flossing gently. If prolonged pain persists, it’s crucial to address it immediately and contact the office.
Is it uncommon to keep wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth removal is typically recommended if they are healthy, have grown in the right place, and don’t hinder bite alignment. However, if you experience pain and discomfort around your wisdom teeth or jaw, it could indicate infection, crowdedness, or incorrect growth. Damage to or pain in surrounding teeth may also occur if wisdom teeth don’t have enough space to grow properly. Decay and cavities are common due to their hard-to-reach location, increasing the risk of cavities.
If wisdom teeth have signs of decay, your dentist may recommend removal. Impacted wisdom teeth, trapped within the jaw under the gums, can lead to cysts, infection, and damage to surrounding teeth. Partially erupted wisdom teeth, which are hard to reach and clean, create openings for bacteria to enter the gums, increasing the risk of infection, cavities, and gum disease.
Before pulling your wisdom teeth, your dentist will conduct X-rays and a thorough exam to assess the condition and make a recommendation based on the findings and symptoms.
Why do people hallucinate after wisdom teeth removal?
Post-operative effects of anesthesia can cause drowsiness and disorientation, especially after wisdom tooth removal. Factors contributing to this aftermath include the presence of lingering anesthetic agents, which can remain in the body for several hours, and the rate at which the body metabolizes and eliminates these medications. Individual sensitivity to anesthesia can also affect the duration of the drowsy feeling. Accumulated stress from the procedure can intensify the feeling of being loopy and drowsy.
Pain medication may be prescribed to manage post-operative discomfort, with some opioids potentially causing drowsiness as a side effect. To manage the drowsy aftermath, it is important to rest and recover, have a support system, follow medication instructions, stay hydrated, eat soft foods, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and follow post-operative instructions.
Rest and recovery should be given ample time, and strenuous activities should be avoided. A support system can provide assistance and ensure safety during the initial recovery period. Adherence to prescribed pain medication, staying hydrated, and adhering to a soft-food diet can help flush out anesthesia medications and promote overall well-being. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine can also exacerbate feelings of drowsiness.
In conclusion, managing the post-operative effects of anesthesia is crucial for a comfortable and safe recovery.
Why won’t the dentist let me keep my wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are often removed by dentists to prevent future issues. As you age, the harder bones in your mouth make teeth harder to remove, making them harder to remove. Waiting could lead to problems such as heavy bleeding, fractured teeth, severe numbness, and loss of jaw movement. Wisdom teeth should be removed when they cause problems or if X-rays show they might be in the future. Other reasons include damage to other teeth, jaw damage, sinus issues, swollen gums, cavities, and alignment issues. Wisdom teeth can cause mouth pain, bite problems, jaw damage, sinus issues, inflammationd gums, cavities, and crowding of other teeth, making it necessary to straighten other teeth.
Why do experts now say not to remove your wisdom teeth?
New research and understanding of the risks and benefits of wisdom teeth removal are changing expert opinions. Surgical extraction is generally safe, but there are risks like bleeding, infection, and harm to nearby structures. Additionally, not removing a significant number of wisdom teeth may not cause any issues throughout an individual’s lifetime. As a result, many dental professionals now support a more conservative approach to managing wisdom teeth. Alternatives for wisdom tooth removal include regular monitoring to watch out for wisdom teeth, which can help maintain the health of the third molars.
Is it OK if I keep my wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth, the third molars in the back of the mouth, may not need to be removed if they are healthy, grow in fully, bite properly, and can be cleaned daily. However, they can sometimes grow in improperly, causing problems. Wisdom teeth can grow at various angles in the jaw, become impacted, grow partway through the gums, or crowd nearby teeth. If they grow in the wrong place, they can cause gum disease, infection, cavities, and damage to other teeth roots or bone support.
Wisdom teeth that grow partway through the gums can also cause cavities that cannot be fixed with fillings and must be removed. Therefore, wisdom teeth should be carefully monitored and cleaned to prevent potential issues.
Why do you say weird things after wisdom teeth removal?
The anaesthetics employed during the removal of third molars may result in transient behavioural complications. However, these are expected to abate as the patient recuperates. Should the patient experience prolonged confusion, it is recommended that they consult with a qualified medical professional.
Does removing wisdom teeth affect brain?
Does Removing Teeth Affect the Brain?. A perception exists among many people that tooth extraction might affect the brain, eyes, and hearing. However, the perception results from myths, although research states tooth removal reduces grey matter in the forebrain region and basal ganglia. However, the problem is associated with tooth loss and not tooth extraction because it brings altered motor, sensory, and emotional functions.
Dentists are professionals with the proper knowledge to ensure your brain remains unaffected when recommending tooth extraction for various reasons. Therefore if you receive a recommendation for extracting teeth because of decay or other infections, consider it a beneficial procedure that will safeguard your dental and overall health.
What Helps You Heal Faster after Tooth Extraction?. The dental clinic, Brandon, recommends after-care infections following tooth removal. It would be helpful if you adhered to the dentist’s suggestions to ensure your recovery is fast and without complications.
Does removing wisdom teeth change face shape?
Wisdom teeth removal typically doesn’t alter the overall face shape, as the affected areas are usually inside the mouth and lower jaw. To heal properly, it’s important to take care of your mouth, rest for a few days, use ice packs to reduce swelling, eat soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, avoid using straws, and practice gentle oral hygiene habits, brushing teeth carefully and avoiding extraction sites. These tips help ensure the body’s healing process and promote a healthy, youthful appearance.
Why do people talk weird after wisdom teeth removal?
Conscious sedation or general anesthesia can impact short-term memory, causing difficulty in recalling actions or words during or after a surgical procedure. It may also affect reference memory less than working memory. Age also influences the impact of anesthesia, with older adults often struggling with memory after anesthesia.
Behavior changes vary depending on the type of anesthesia received. Local anesthesia involves being awake and alert during the procedure, while conscious sedation may lead to twilight sleep and mild consciousness. General anesthesia is similar to a coma-like state, with the surgeon monitoring the patient to prevent waking up.
In a surgical procedure involving wisdom teeth removal, less anesthesia is required compared to longer and more invasive surgeries. Therefore, the type of anesthesia used will depend on the specific procedure and the patient’s age.
Why don t they let you keep your wisdom teeth after removal?
The Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines for infection control in dental health-care settings suggest that extracted teeth are considered potentially infectious material and should be disposed of in medical waste containers. However, teeth with amalgams need to be incinerated carefully to avoid mercury fumes. Despite this, it is acceptable to give patients their teeth back, and disposal rules don’t apply after the hand-off.
📹 Why Do Wisdom Teeth Suck?
Every year, 5 million Americans have their wisdom teeth removed. These pesky molars can cause infections tooth decay, and …
Dentist here. I have spent over a decade asking people with healthy teeth what they do to stay healthy, and asking people with unhealthy, or often, missing teeth what they did to get to that point. This article is excellent. Spot on. There are so many sources of misinformation online about oral health. It’s refreshing to see a article that actually offers good advice. Great job, guys!
Myth 9 (brush your teeth after every meal) is a big problem in South Korea. Like, I understand wanting to freshen your breath after eating because Korean foods use strong-smelling ingredients, but damn they hit the nearest sink to brush their teeth straight after the last bite. They’re taught to do this since kindergarten and adults think it’s weird when us foreigners don’t do it. I ended up succumbing to peer pressure and brushed my teeth after eating when at work, but I tried to wait the 30 mins if at all possible.
Wish you two were my dentists. Wearing braces for five years damaged my teeth big time (had brittle teeth due to steroids overuse; hence, didn’t have bone stability to have braces and retainers for years). Have sleep bruxism as well due to stress so I bought a mouth guard to protect my teeth from further damage. Oral health is the first line of defense. It should never be taken lightly.
My previous dentist refused to complete filling my cavities if i didn’t get my wisdom teeth surgically removed. I was 21 years old, my upper wisdom teeth had just finished hatching, and my bottom wisdom teeth, only one had barely started hatching. My wisdom teeth had fully grown only by age 24. I had to change my dentist coz I refuse to believe in the need to get perfectly healthy teeth removed. My new dentist said that my bottom wisdom teeth are perfect and can even be fixed without a problem if they ever start causing problems. My upper will have to be removed eventually if they start causing problems coz of the way they are angled… very difficult for the dentist to access the top of them. Almost 40 now and I still have all my wisdom teeth!
I’m so happy I finally found a dentist that isn’t just about taking all teeths out. My former dentist wanted to remove my wisdom teeth and one bad tooth that he didn’t care for properly. My dentist now always tells me that she will try to keep the bad tooth as long as possible. And she also never wanted to take out my wisdom teeths. She asked if i have pain or if i have a disconfort.
im a dent student and i feel like im having a quiz while perusal this 🙃 ngl, i was kinda shook when they said that sugar is not the cause of cavities but im trying to justify it to myself with “yup, they’re still correct bcos cavities formation is a multifactorial process and sugar is just one of the factors”
When I was 17 I went to the dentist and they were trying to convince me to get my wisdom teeth removed. I declined, and they were like “When you turn 25 you’re going to be complaining about them causing you pain. You should consider getting them removed now.” Well, 25 came and went, and my wisdom teeth are still hanging out with my other teeth.
middle aged woman here with all her wisdom teeth. Friends have been horrified, because I also had not been to the dentist for much of my young adult life. They had mostly had there wisdom teeth removed when they got braces. so they assumed as many people do that it was normal. I never had braces and have very straight teeth. I finally got back to a dentist who told me I clearly was a good brusher and that I did not need to remove my wisdom teeth unless they gave me a problem. My biggest issue was some receding gums – one that showed the edge of my tooth and horrified me. That tooth finally died (or the root did? -excruciating ) and I had a root canal. Now am doing well and regularly visiting the dentist.
This was randomly recommended to me lol, but I remember this year my dentist told me how to properly clean your mouth/ brush your teeth and that apparently most people don’t brush correctly. 1. Antiseptic rinse (Listerine) – The Listerine will kill all the bacteria and germs in your mouth 2. Floss – then you need to clean in between your gums. Sometimes brushing can push down food deeper into our gums causing inflammation, and of course if gums bleed from time to time, it’s pretty normal. 3. Brush – when you brush, don’t just brush your teeth, brush your gums, the roof of your mouth, the sides of your mouth, your tongue (this is where most of the bacteria that causes bad breath chill in your mouth, hence the white tongue) 4. Fluoride Rinse – these are typically alcohol free and this is designed to restore your tooth enamel; using alcohol based rinses can strip enamel from your teeth making them weak. And of course if you frequently drink acidic drinks this can add strength back into you teeth. And you’re supposed to do it in that order! Like my entire 22 years of living and I always thought you were supposed to use Listerine after you’re done brushing because it keeps your breath fresh. 🙃
This is great! I also found out this summer that toothaches can actually not be your teeth! lol I went thinking there was something seriously wrong. X-rays, exams, etc. Turned out that my allergies led to terrible sinus issues that made my back upper teeth ACHE. Solved the allergies with lots of meds and boom, toothache gone!
I’m honestly surprised that they didn’t mention that even though the most important thing is that you just brush your teeth in the first place, that a good electric toothbrush will usually produce better results because most people don’t know how to brush properly or how long they should do it for. Getting a good electric toothbrush with a timer, is a great helping hand that will help you take better care of your teeth. Trust me, you’ll feel the difference in the amount of plaque on your teeth later. Also, they didn’t mention how important the right toothpaste actually is to your oral health, other than the charcoal problem. Often times people’s toothpaste can irritate several areas of the mouth. If you often have a problem with bleeding gums, changing your toothpaste can have a major impact.
The wisdom teeth one…thanks. Bruhh I hated my dentists for always pushing me to remove it. Everytime I finish my yearly clean and come out, they would be like “let’s schedule your appointment to remove your wisdom teeth” Last time I check with my orthodontist, my x-rays shows they ain’t in the way. I also feel 0 pain or discomfort. Why are some dentists lying to us then?!?! Making us hate them more 🙁
I learned that I grind my teeth through a dental hygiene appointment with the local school. If you have what are called “linea alba”, which is a raised line on the inside of each cheek in line with where your top and bottom molars meet, you probably grind your teeth. I did get a night guard, I need to remember to use it more often.
“Help your body get your pH back to neutral quicker” – I just want to clarify that she means washing out the acid that is surrounding your teeth (like leftover traces of lemonade that make the pH within your mouth lower/more acidic which might affect your enamel) because it’s a medical myth that anything you consume affects the pH of the rest of your body/blood, etc.
Few years ago, I was snacking on some pretzels. Few minutes in, I felt IMMENSE pain on the right side of my mouth. I was able to single out which tooth was the culprit, pretty easily. I thought it was a cavity. There WAS a cavity on said tooth, so I had that taken care of. I was STILL having major pain. After about 2 months of the pain not going away, my dentist sent me to an endodontist. Turns out, I caused enough blunt force trauma to tooth 29, to where the nerves and root were incapable of healing on their own, and I had to get a root canal 🙃 After that was healed and crown put on, I was still having pain on that side of my mouth. Endodontist again. I had what she called “bony defect” on tooth 5; basically a hole was in my tooth right under the gum line, and was going down INTO my tooth at an angle, so no option for repair, root canal on that tooth. I couldn’t eat on the right side of my mouth for pretty much an entire YEAR. Also… F*CK PRETZELS.
I feel victimized by myth number two. I feel like I do a much better job using my oral B Braun electric toothbrush than a manual toothbrush. Plus it feels cleaner. Using a manual toothbrush just feels awkward. I beg my parents to buy me a new electric toothbrush every year as one of my Christmas presents so I don’t ever run out of them. Needless to say, I adore electronic toothbrushes.
I am 46 and have all 4 of my wisdom teeth. They have fully erupted and cause me no problems. I have never had a dentist or hygienist even mention the fact that I have my wisdom teeth, but when I tell other people they always say I shouldn’t. I had braces when I was 19 and my wisdom teeth came in at the same time. They have always kept my other teeth from moving out of place without the use of retainers.
i have two wisdom teeth, upper left and lower left. they both started as impacted, and gradually erupted and settled in place. they’re not perfectly aligned with the rest of my molars, but they’re not in crazy positions either. I continue to maintain by making sure food doesn’t build up or get stuck on them. Now in my 40’s, thankfully still no cavities, sensitivities or dental work needed.
My lower left wisdom tooth erupted when I was 24, I watched it day by day it grew out of the gum, but no pain at all. It grew out perfectly and didn’t even push my tooth next to it. When I did my Invisalign treatment at 28, I asked the orthodontist if it’s okay to keep it, and he said it is totally okay if it’s not causing me pain lol. I still have it by today!! Just another extra tooth to take care of and proper cleaning 😀
Every dentist I’ve went to tries to pressure me to get my wisdom teeth removed despite me having no issues with them besides a small cavity. I’ve actually been told by one dentist she wouldn’t treat my wisdom teeth because it was hard to reach them… I have some decent wear on most of my teeth with exception to my wisdom teeth and there is no way I’ll be brainwashed to remove a non issue so someone can put an extra dollar in their pocket.
I had to stand up to my dentist by threatening to just get a new dentist because they kept suddenly saying I had to get my wisdom teeth removed after years of seeing them. I said “why? They aren’t impacted and fully out, cleaned and look good right?!” They awkwardly agreed and couldn’t answer why. 😒they just wanted more money!
My two wisdom teeth went out at 15yo, it didn’t cause me any pain so I didn’t seek professional help, I didn’t think I needed it because well I was completely fine and 10 years later my teeth are still here, have not been bothering me at all and I think they are here to stay for the rest of my life as long as I take good care of them 🤷🏻♀️
Regarding the wisdom teeth, mine came in fine. I didn’t feel any pain until I this year (I’m 25) I always cleaned them perfectly from the top and side but never was sure if I got the back. I went to the dentist and all four of my wisdom teeth from the back had decayed severely into my root. I’d say a getting them removed is better if you can’t clean them properly
My dentists told me a few things that contradict these dentists. 1. Electric Toothbrushes ARE better compared to regular toothbrushes when used correctly and for 2 minutes (mine has a 2 minute timer and turns off automatically which is nice) 2. Most people will have problems with Wisdom teeth eventually, especially if they are impacted, to which they recommend people remove them while you’re young as a precaution when you’re able to recover better and faster compared to 40 years down the line when you’re older and heal slower. Plus they make more money so its a win-win for them.
Dental anxiety is real. I had stuff done on my teeth without anaesthesia when I was a kid because it was expensive back then (at least here and was not included in your visit payment) so my parents decided that it’ll be a good idea to inflict so much pain on their 4-7 year old and it literally scared me forever. I talk myself into going to dentist all I want but it’s always anxiety and stress for me. EVEN after nice visits, I had 1 tooth removed, cavities fixed, no pain, pretty good experiences overall(though I had to come back to grind down the cavity filling once and that 1 day of waiting was pain in the ass) but I still can’t just say “I’ll jump in for a quick check up” like I would with any other doctor. So any parents reading this: ALWAYS get the anaesthesia for your kids!!!! It’s so traumatic that no amount of logical thinking in adult life can fix it.
Seeing the difference between people in the US and being from the UK is super interesting, especially wisdom teeth. In the UK wisdom teeth are usually only removed if there is an issue, or they will be an issue later on. For example, if it comes through broken, or cracks and gets infected, or maybe the tooth coming through will affect other teeth in the way, removal for orthodontics (braces). And they’re almost always done under local anaesthetic – unless you need general, and that can be for a lot of reasons. Whereas over jn the states, you seem to get them removed just because…? And under general so you end up loopy??
1:30 I used to think that I HAD to get my teeth whiter, because it might be a sign that my teeth are unhealthy. But then my dentist told me that some people’s teeth are naturally yellow, and the whiteness of your teeth had nothing to do with how healthy it is. So I thought that maybe my teeth are yellow because of coffee stains, and she said that it could be possible, so I should drink less coffee to see if it improved. But years later, when I got my horizontally impacted wisdom tooth removed, lo and behold, a yellowish chonkster comes out. Can’t say it’s because of coffee stains now LMAO that bigboi was in there d e e p. Unless coffee managed to get its way inside my gums as well… 👀
I was 15 when I had my wisdom teeth removed. They made the suggestion due to crowding (my teeth are very tightly packed together and flossing is really difficult because it constantly gets stuck between the teeth, there’s like no space….and this was before I even had my wisdom teeth in lol). I’m glad they took them out because I had zero room–but my husband had loads of room. Mind you, he’s 31 and they’re coming in only now….lol the professionals were kind of shocked at the fact my wisdom teeth came in so early.
I have my wisdom teefs! I’m 33 and have a mouth full of naturally straight lovely, albeit tight, teeth. My dad said once that if I were a horse, I’d be a good buy! 🤣 Those wisdom teeth took a loooong time to come in completely, like into my early twenties, and owey! But once they were there, no issues other than hard to reach with the brush and the tightness.
5:11 Still have mine! They are impacted though but don’t cause any problems. I HATE going to the dentist because of this specifically. The woman who is my hygenist ALWAYS pushes it. Her talking to me about “why I need to get them removed” makes me MORE UNCOMFORTABLE THAN my wisdom teeth. So in 2020, I finally said: “OK, FINE. I’ll look into it.” They were all chuffed about it, and I called the dental surgeon THREE times and emailed THREE times and I NEVER got a response. I am taking this as a sign from God that I don’t need it.
What’s absolutely insane is I am 31 and I go to the dentist regularly and at Absolutely NO point in time did any dentists office ever tell me to wait 30 at least minutes after eating to brush teeth. I didn’t learn that until several months ago on a dentist tik tok . Funny how important that information is yet debris leave that part out 😠
Wisdom teeth have been both a blessing and a curse for me. I had a wisdom tooth pulled yesterday because it was too far to brush and got a big cavity. I don’t miss it. But I have another wisdom tooth I’m glad is there because it’s going to become a bridge for 2 molars I had pulled years ago and I’ll be able to chew so much better.
I got my lower wisdom teeth removed when I was 40. They weren’t impacted but never stopped growing, they didn’t actually cause problems until the last couple of years, I am guessing the pain was from them growing?! They got significantly taller than the rest of my molars. Anyhoo, happy they are out as I no longer have that dull, vibrating pain.
Hello! 3rd year dental student here. What’s interesting about some of these .. Electric toothbrushes don’t necessarily brush better than normal ones, but they help you not OVERBRUSH. Electric toothbrushes flash if you are pushing too hard which is bad for your gum health and enamel. So I think they’re better overall, but not necessarily always worth the price 🙂 And regarding wisdom teeth, it’s tough. We just learned in oral surgery that the perk of removing wisdom teeth early is that patients in their 20s are great recovery candidates. It’s more preventative. So if you wait to remove them, but when you’re 40 one is infected or has a big cavity, removing them is a much much much more challenging and risky process. But obviously our healthcare doesn’t cover anything preventative … so it’s frustrating. The rest were spot on, especially the one saying to wait to brush after eating!
In November 2021 I got wisdom teeth removed because the dentist said I should even though it wasn’t causing any problems. Then I noticed my face lost a bit of its shape after the surgery, making me look a tiny bit older and I regretted it. My dad and I now think perhaps the orthodontist wanted it to earn more money. Luckily, through face massage and face exercises, my face regained more structure than in early 2022, and it is a very similar shape to before, and I like it just as much as the old shape. I think I look a little bit younger than early last year because I regained my face shape.
I knew removing wisdom teeth wasn’t necessary, but sadly even though I naturally only had two wisdom teeth one of them angled in a weird way that caused me three cavities and the other was only partially out and getting infected every once in a while, so out they went lol. Also didn’t know some people didn’t think grinding teeth isn’t a serious issue, I know someone with a bad grinding issue at night and they recently had to get their teeth fixed because some of them got chipped or worn down from all the grinding.
At 21 I was asked if my wisdom teeth caused me pain or discomfort and I said no, so my dentist said I didn’t have to get them removed. They were growing in straight on my x rays. My trypanophobic brain breathed a sigh of relief. Cut to only 2 years later and now they’re suddenly growing in wrong and one is already impacting others and causing pain. My braces-straightened teeth are no more. I get them removed in five days. Any advice from people who have had the procedure or who have trypanophobia? I’m incredibly nervous. Lots of love!
I got cavities in both of my upper wisdom teeth and got them removed. The other one was causing me a lot of pain, I was taking pain killers at least twice a day (I rarely take any for any reason if the pain is at least somewhat bearable) As soon as it was out the pain ended. The other one didn’t hurt yet but had a giant cavity and was half brown…. I got to keep that one
Great article. Good to see/hear credible info most dentists likely would never share. I add: I recently had severe toothache back LHS… went to a dentist that was horrible. She didn’t explain much at all. I said I knew one problem was my tooth aching was hitting another tooth, asked could that be the problem?/ can she fix it? She said no, it’s gum disease, and if the pain doesn’t go in a week, that tooth has to come out… Well, I did loads of research… How to brush, what not to do, alternatives, grinding, you name it… And, I learnt something I never knew… that when I’m stressed, (often!) I clench my teeth! So I narrowed it down to the clenching and thus the smashing of the tooth teeth being the “irreversible problem”… Well, it’s been about 1 month, and now when I feel my jaw clenching, I consciously stop it. I also consciously keep a little separation with my tongue between the two teeth that touch… (till I work out how to deal with this) And I’ve been almost pain free (except on bad or unknown clenching days/nights) M-ORAL (lol) of the story: Don’t just believe anyone. Do your own research. Learn to be your own doctor.
I need to get one of my wisdom teeth removed since one of the have broken off. I clench my jaw really tight when I sleep and I wake up sometimes with broken tooth pieces in my mouth. I told my dentist but they always try to give me appointments 3 months out. I feel like by time that happens there won’t be a tooth. I’m going to find an emergency dentist in my area and see if I can get it removed.
I am 40+ and still have my wisdom teeth, they had enough space and I had no problem. Then out of the blue my dentist want me to pull them out cause with them in my jaw is out of alignment. I told him they don’t bother me and he I don’t want to do that. He said I will continue to grind cause I do at night unless I take them out. Now I know I don’t have to. Thanks for the information 👍
I’m so glad that this article covered Wisdom Teeth Removal. When I was 19, my childhood dentist retired. So when the new dentist came in, he told me that I should make an appointment to get my wisdom teeth removed because “they tend to cause problems for people your age.” No problems in MY x-ray, no cavities, ect. I was absolutely not going to agree to any surgery that I did not NEED. My wisdom teeth are still fine, over 10 years later.
its insane how we need to take care so much of ourselves. take showers, use lotions, face cleaners, brush our teeth, proper soaps for hair, when in sunlight use proper sunscreen or covers, take care of out feet, exercise, hydrate, eat proper, sleep proper. the fact ath we hacce to do that aprat from our daily living like work, activities, stress, and routines. its outstanding how people back in the days survived
I was actually going to keep my wisdom teeth. Since I had gotten four permanent teeth pulled before I got my braces and the wisdom teeth came in pretty straight, there was room and they didn’t hurt, the only issue they had caused was that I couldn’t wear my retainer. But then one of them got a giant cavity so, wisdom teeth be gone!
Nicely done. Now if only insurance companies would get on board with how important dental care is for everyone. If you’re lucky enough to have dental insurance oftentimes they only cover the bi-yearly x-rays, exam, and cleaning. Need a cavity filled ($150 – 400+) or a crown ($350 – $1000+) … well expect to pay a deductible and anywhere from 20% to 80%, and that’s if your insurance hasn’t maxed out. Most max out at between $1000 to $2000 per year. So anyway… loved the article. Great info!
I never got my wisdom teeth taken out. I love when I go to dentist appointments and I’m like, “ever seen a 20 something year old with all their wisdom teeth?” Every time they’re so shocked and want to see. They came in at 16 years old within 4 months of each other and perfectly straight and I never have any issues with them.
The neck and shoulder pain you can get from teeth grinding is unreal. Not to mention jaw pain and headaches. Definitely don’t ignore waking up feeling a tightness in your jaw across your shoulders. If you’re stressed and worried not sleeping properly teeth grinding could be occurring. Wearing a mouth guard when perusal tv helps u get used to the guard before using at night.
I’ve been getting dental work done for almost 2 years straight now with 5 different dentists and they all contradict each other & its REALLY annoying because I want to think these professionals have trustworthy information, but they all say different things and it’s hard to decipher what’s being said for monetary gain vs genuine concern
Please speak about risk of abscesses and loss of teeth for long term chronic sinusitis sufferers. I lost 4 molars last year because of my long term chronic sinusitis . The pulp inside the teeth got rotten inside, but the outer teeth had no cavities. The abscesses spread from my sinus cavities to my teeth roots. I had to have abcess drainage surgery from the tooth socket even after multiple antibiotics series. We tried root canals to try save the teeth. But those surgeries failed. The back molars could not be saved and was extracted later and gums healed. Multiple abscesses caused me serious pain driving me insane, because the pain is right on the main nerves . Its more than a year later and I still often get abcess pain in the same tooth socket area when I my sinusitis flare-up worsens. My dentist and I don’t know what to do anymore, except find a specialist for drainage surgery of that remaining abcess tissue still stuck in micro websites of the bone surrounding the old socket, which specialist we don’t have in my country. 😭 I had also boneloss from the jaws where teeth used to be. which makes impossible to get implants, unless I rebuild the bone structure first in my face and jaw. Medical aid doesnt pay for restorative (nor cosmetic) procedures like this. So Im stuck without molars denture size bridges. Unless I can win the lottery and get back my smile and confidence this is something that will age my face faster. There is not tissue to fill in the gaps and hold my cheeks skin firm
38 Years old with all 4 wisdom teeth. They haven’t caused any issues or messed up progress from when I got braces in high school. And still to this day I am ok keeping them unless they start causing major issue. I had a good run of bad cavities and discovered it was due to coffee. I hate coffee and would add a good bit of sugar to make it taste better. Coffee is so acidic and putting sugar in it didn’t help. After I stopped coffee; my run of cavities stopped.
Myth number 1 about bacteria eating sugar and producing acid is why people think there is a genetic link to generally bad teeth. The genetic link is in the microbiome of the mouth, some people inherently have a higher percentage of certain bacteria types that produce more acid than others, breaking down the teeth quicker. Also, genetics could have to do with the thickness or thinness of the enamel on the teeth to begin with.
wisdom teeth were there for a reason, so if you extract it you are actually damaging some nerve systems that may be crucial to how your body system works, but of course some people who dont have a big jaw line cant be able to support wisdom teeth unlike others who have bigger jaw lines and can grow old without ever having to pull it out
Yes..one of my wisdom teeth was bothering me but was told to remove three other only removed two (3 total). But seriously feel now like something is off on my jaw and how my teeth place when my mouth is closed. So unbelievably pissed that I listened to this dentist. It started a whole array of issues. Including lymph nodes issues. Would love convo about this..wisdom tooth removal issues
My child had a wisdom tooth infected and impacted; pulled by a dentist. On the 3rd day, my child was in the emergency, waiting to have excessive amounts of infection drained out of his neck and throat. He was on a ventilator in ICU for 3 days (7 days total in hospital). Turns out the dentist wasn’t an oral surgeon, he almost killed my kid. This condition is rare, because I don’t live in a country where it is difficult to find dental care. Over and above, my kid has drug allergies, which made it difficult to get the right antibiotic. The dentist overstepped, he wanted the cash. History: My kid was having trouble with this tooth, getting infected all the time. The infection was deep and existed while he removed the molar. He didn’t treat the infection first, and I believe that played a huge role. Two oral surgeons suggested this particular dentist overstepped. FYI my child is an adult and well groomed. This should not have happened.
Def agree for the wisdom teeth! My lower wisdom teeth were impacted and I removed one but didn’t have time to go back to do the other and forgot and then I felt some pain and realized it was coming in so I rushed to get it removed, my top wisdom teeth actually fully came in but after a while I asked my dentist if it was possible to remove because they were so hard to clean, like my toothbrush barely reached and I couldn’t really floss, and they removed them and I was so happy cause it’s so easy to clean the back teeth and I have no facial difference/irregularity either (probably cause I can still feel the base, just the tooth isn’t there)
My wisdom teeth were perfectly straight. The dentist said there was no need for it to be removed. But I decided to get them removed anyway. I suffer from TMJ. Which caused the wisdoms, especially the lower ones to flare up, causing fever and tenderness in the jaw. My jaw is also small and I had braces before (overcrowding of teeth). Once I took out the wisdoms, my TMJ still continued. But my jaw wasn’t tender and I didn’t get any fevers.
I actually use both an electric and manual toothbrush. I use the manual in the mornings because the electric is too jarring and in the mornings I an focusing more on cleaning the gums and tongue which is flat out painful to do with an electric toothbrush and between meals because it I use the electric more than once a day I get severe gum inflamation. Then at night I use the electric because it does clean off and prevent plaque much better, it is just too rough for me to use every brushing and if the brushing makes my teeth hurt while doing it I subconsciously stop doing it entirely because of the dental problems I had when I was younger. So basically my dentist recommended the dual brushing as long as it gets done and I use the electric for the deep cleaning.
Myth: Sugar causes cavities is technically right. If it’s the “fuel”, it’s the “active” cause of the cavities, so yes, indirectly sugar DOES cause cavities. That’s like saying does fuel make a car operate? And car experts say, no the engine does….. well you need fuel to make the engine run, like sugar needs bacteria to activate the acid that causes the cavities.
So, if it’s best not to brush your teeth until after 30 minutes of eating, then in the morning, would it be better to brush your teeth before eating breakfast, if you don’t have 30 minutes? Or would it be better to just go ahead and brush your teeth in the morning right after eating, as long as it’s done only in the morning? Hope that made sense.
6:05 What I do after each meal is, rinse out my mouth at the tap – gargle couple times, and rinse again. Then as the Dentist in the article also said – “wait for atleast thirty minutes,” then brush thoroughly whenever you get the chance. Especially in the mornings and at night, before going to sleep. All the best folks. Update: Most people probably already know – but, “brush thoroughly” means your tongue too… straight from the back to the front. Use mouthwash if you can afford it, or use a concentrated solution of salt water to *help* fight the germs in your mouth. Gargle and rinse thoroughly.
Regarding myth 9, there is new research showing that it might be better to brush immediately after eating. Yes the acid can wear down the enamel, but letting food sit on your teeth give the bacteria time to digest all the food and produce even more acid. Best to immediately swish around with water or with something basic to help your mouth get back to a neutral pH quicker.
I’m 55 and never got my lower wisdom teeth out. Yeah they impacted against my back teeth (grew in at an angle), but never caused me trouble. I for a long time thought it was going to be a huge problem but no, because that’s what I was told. The only thing I have to do is flush out the crevis created by them with a water pick, because food collects there and has caused an infection which hurt. Once I found out what that problem was around 25 years old, I fixed that problem. Also no one suggested that, I just thought “well try using a waterpic” and it worked. Which works better than floss anyway because it’s kind of hard to get the floss between some of my teeth.
My dentist told me that I clinch my jaw when I sleep, he said over time that the force over time had flattened the tops of my teeth. My jaw always feels tired. He took out all my wisdom teeth not going under, along with 4 molars he said to make room in my mouth, and straighten my teeth. My teen pics don’t show any crooked teeth ( prior to the removals), I was also told I needed braces, which I did have, my bite was perfect, my teeth were straight, I believe he was a con. My teeth are back to the way they were before the braces, but the braces didn’t change anything, because my teeth were fine. I’m mad at him to this day taking out 4 perfectly good molars. I still have the missing teeth gaps, the braces didn’t do anything.
I was told my top two wisdom teeth will never come in-and they haven’t. I’m 51. I had my two bottom ones taken out because they came in partially and they were called a “soft tissue impact”. One came in with a huge hole in it but it never hurt. anyway.. my 2nd molar on the top left is broken and dead. (a filling fell out and I never went to get it fixed). It’s not lose and there’s no pain. I keep it really clean so it doens’t get infected. It’s solid in my jaw so I”m not getting it pulled because I’ve had “solid” teeth pulled and I always ended up in pain and dry sockets. I’ll go when it hurts and the pain of getting it pulled is less than the pain of the tooth. SO…. A dentist once told me I should get that 2nd molar pulled and “while you’re at it get the wisdom tooth pulled while you’re in there”. Now it’s my understanding that roots of wisdom teeth can grow into the sinus cavity and wrap around nerves. If the dead 2nd molar is causing no pain WHY would I get it taken out? and WHY would I get a tooth taken out that would NEVER come in? The dentist said because it may shift, which I believe but that leads me back to WHY would I take out a tooth that is causing NO issues?? I have NY Medicaid and their dental is THE WORST and the dentists are even worse. No compassion, no thoughfulness and horrible bedside manner. Those teeth I talked about that was “solid” that I had pulled out? it was the 2nd molar and my wisdom tooth, bottom right. WHAT A HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE that was! The dentist had a knee on the chair and asked me to make a fist and put it under my chin so she could get a grip on the tooth.
Recently I had to pay for a dental care plan, just to get a root canal treatment in my superior right first molar. And, during the budget process with the dentists, all of them, recommended me to get my wisdom teeth removed (like I was a layman). But I was advised by a public dental care system, back at my 12 yo, when my third molars emerged, to only get them removed if they’re causing problems. And told me that in particular dentistry there’s always this “evangelization” against wisdom teeth, not caring about our health, but to increase their income, for the group, since it’s around 300$ per third molar to get removed!
I had a question about wisdom teeth . I’ve never had any issues with my teeth, like no cavities or braces. I’ve had my wisdom teeth since 15years old, when I was 30 one of my wisdom teeth rotted, so I had it removed, that’s when they saw mandibules tori, went to oral surgeon to have the tori removed, and he took all my wisdom teeth removed, even though they were in perfect condition and no pain. Since the removal, I’ve had trouble with my bite and now have tori growth in the back where my wisdom teeth were. Do you think the removal of healthy wisdom teeth could cause issues in the long run.
I have to have 6 teeth remove because 5 of them grew in rotten, the dentist doesnt know why but they did. They couldve been easily been treat when I was 10, but my adopted mom always said to me and any professional help “Oh she will take care of it when she is older….” she doesnt do this to her blood daughters. She only does it to me, which makes me annoyed like “Why sign the papers if you are going to treat me poorly?” Now I have to do a HUGE surgery in my mouth when I can get a oral surgeon who doesnt mind Dual Citizenship Patients, and also that they can take my Medicaid…. which is SUPER hard, I can get barely any help with normal doctors.
I’m 33 and still have all my wisdom teeth. They grew out completely in my 20’s straight and I had enough room for them. Went to a new dentist last weekend and of course her first words are, I want to remove them because they are just extra teeth and are unnecessary! Also I have a cavity on 3 out of 4 of them because they are hard to clean and she’s already saying it will be hard to fill! Not sure what to do now!
My wisdom teeth came in years ago, and they’re all sideways (top pointing forward, into my molars), but one is like diagonal poking through the roof of my mouth. And before that, I got three root canals and five fillings done and that cost thousands of dollars. It’s like dental care is a luxury. The only way to get dental insurance these days is to basically risk losing your house by getting state medical insurance.
I may be a little bit picky but in all the myths talking about brushing too hard they did not mention once that brushing too hard over time can cause gum and sometimes tooth abrasion! I see a lot of patients come in that have exposed roots on their teeth along with striations from a toothbrush on that exposed root. Many times that exposed root can lead to sensitivity and other more serious problems if the brushing technique is not corrected. We tell our patients that have a Receding gum line Due to aggressive brushing to slow down, maybe use an electric toothbrush and don’t scrub the brush let the brush do the brushing for you. As long as all of your teeth get the right amount attention and every surface of that tooth has been given some TLC you don’t need to brush like you’re scrubbing Off burnt on lasagna. A lot of my patients are over the age of 40 so this is a habit they have been doing for a while so if you notice that you’ve been doing it for maybe just a few months correct it now and you won’t have issues later.Just some humble advice from a registered dental assistant.
At 34 I had to get a molar removed in the back…. 8 months later in that same hole I extracted the molar I grew a whole new tooth out of no where. My dentist said I have all my wisdom teeth neatly arranged so they when and if I ever pull out another tooth I will have 4 spare total… so technically she said I have a spare molar on each side top and bottom to save if I ever need it. She even recommended I don’t take them out .
I’m so happy that I found this chanel. Myth, # 10 if I go to my dentist and my dentist do exam and think about telling me there is decay inside my teeth and what I am not in support of I’d that dentist will go as far as selling into teeth and if they drill too much making the teeth weak and likely to break I am not getting my teeth drilled into before getting braces. not have pain and I can easily accept that if there is issues on this front and the push back for getting braces. If going to this third appt for my teeth this year so and j can’t get good news on thumps up to no drilling into my teeth and also I get the go ahead to go get braces I would only be ever more determined. In my experience i have had more set backs with getting braces at younger I hot turned away and even when older I’m still flying up against push back whenever I do go thinking now I’m getting on the right track. I thought attempting now to get braces will happen and be a overall good experience.
Sorry, I know I am speaking only of my situation. I am in my late 60s and never have had issues with wisdom theeth. I’ve always figured dentists insisting this were only wanting to make more money. I even experienced one angry at me because I refused the procedure AND had no cavaties. Are others helped or being financially scammed?
She said drinking water after acidic drinks help to maintain a neutral pH in our bodies, but drinks enter our stomach that contain HCL which has a pH of 2. So, any kind of drink is going to be mixed with stomach acid. Also, body’s pH which is blood pH, is controled carefully and is maintaned between 7.35 to 7.45. Therefore, any change to pH out of this range is fatal.
I feel like Myth 8 (The wisdom teeth removal) was a produce of the 1990s-2000s orthodontia working on 12-20 years old people, getting their teeth lined up and all… And oh surprise, when new teeth appear, they’d have to either extend the treatment to accommodate the extra teeth, or remove them before they cause any problems.
I knew I had an issue with grinding my teeth, but apparently I do it hard enough nowadays to wake my spouse in the night. Thank goodness for mouth guards! What I’m surprised wasn’t mentioned here is that teeth grinding can be an indication of sleep apnea, so if you realize you’re grinding your teeth, you might also want to get that checked out with your doc if you can.
I actually liked this article a lot. But personally i just stopped going to the dentist (and doctors) after highschool. Lol i didnt mind going to my checkups but i was tired of being told crazy things about the health of my teeth and it just felt like they piled those on just to get me concerned enough to followup with another appointment and spend more money. In the end i have the straightest whitest teeth in my family and thats good enough for me to live with.
I don’t know if I believe this at all… I just had to get rid of my wisdom teeth because they were growing in sideways and I naturally have a smaller pallet/smaller mouth and the wisdoms were pushing into my teeth. Yes I saw my own x-rays and did my own research this procedure was absolutely necessary for me. Everyone’s teeth are different, you can’t just blindly say a procedure isn’t necessarily for everyone when clearly there are exceptions. Just ignorance.
What is also important to note about wisdom teeth, this is something my orthodontist told me, is that they can potentially damage you other healthy teeth if they remain under the gums. When the wisdom teeth don’t break through the surface of the gums, they’re surrounded by a layer of cells that keep harmful bacteria away from the tooth while it’s still growing. If the wisdom tooth is too close to or impacting another tooth next to it, this cell layer can actually affect and break down the root of the tooth next to it, causing abysses or cavities under the gum, and eventually causing you to lose perfectly health molars.
My gums bleed a lot. They have been like this for a year. I changed my toothbrush for a special soft one, and changed my toothpaste for a special one for gums. They still bleed. A couple of months ago, I discovered one of my gums had receded. It’s very disheartening. I don’t know what to do anymore to keep this from happening again.
Had mine removed one week ago. Had a local anesthetics. The procedure was absolute painless. After 3 hours the anesthetics slowly faded, and the pain began. It was a solid 9/10. I can strongly recommend to take the given pain killers immediately after the surgery and not only after 2-3 hours. This will hopefully eliminate all pain. The next morning and onwards, there was no pain anymore. Swelling began on day 2 ans lasted up to day 5. I didnt eat anything for 24 hours, and can strongly recommend not to eat, as food may get stuck. Bleeding stopped after 2 days, and swallowing was a bit difficult for like 5 days. After 7 days, I could start to chew again. I did not chew at all before, and strongly recommend to eat soft food, which can be swallowed directly. Bad breath is normal, and I wouldn’t recommend brushing teeth in the first 5 days. As I said, after 6-7 days, I was 80% back to normal. The surgery itself was absolutely painless, and all the days after as well, except for the 3-4 hours before going to bed. Just take more painkillers and go to bed with your head elevated. Hope this helped!
I was pretty lucky to have my top and bottom teeth removed in separate sessions. Generally speaking, bottom wisdom teeth hurts more to since it requires stiches and they’re root, whereas top teeth can simply be extracted without the need for stiches. I can’t imagine the pain to have all 4 wisdom teeth removed in one session, best of luck to those who are going to go through this.
I got all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed when I was in the 5th grade. The surgeon had to open my gums to get them out, and they were HUGE!!! If they would have waited for them to pop out, they would have caused my teeth to go crooked. The best decision my parents ever made, I now have the most beautiful perfect, straight teeth. I’ve never had a cavity in my life and I’m 41 years young. I thank my parents for always being on top of my dental hygiene as a child. FYI by local anesthetic only all four at the same time. The removal wasn’t bad at all, the swelling afterwards is what sucked the most.
Had one side of wisdoms pulled today during an emergency extraction due to the bottom right one decaying rapidly and constantly getting infected. It was supposed to get done next month but the pain was too much. It was done with just local anesthetic and both were pulled in a little under 5 minutes (the bottom one was impacted and the top one was pressing against my cheek). So far so good and I’m getting the other side done next month! If you’re getting it done, try not to worry so much about it. Just look for a good oral surgeon/dentist and follow all post operative instructions. You’ll be fine ^^
I only had 2 out of 5 impacted teeth removed (I have an extra tooth underneath my lower front teeth). One of my bottom wisdom was 1.5x bigger than the biggest molar tooth I had. The dentist who did the surgery asked for my permission to take my tooth as a specimen for her paper because it was unusually big, and it was the biggest she had seen yet. I’m just glad the surgery was done because I enjoyed all the ice cream I could consume that week.
Got two of mine removed a month ago… I was the only one with wisdom teeth problems in my family which sucks. They started hurting two years ago and I’d put off the surgery until last month because the infection became way more frequent, from once a year to once a month. Doc said the other two are fine for now. I hope they won’t ever start hurting.
I had all 4 of mine finally removed about 6 years ago when I was 30 years old. They never caused me any pain, but were impacted my other teeth. I had avoided the surgery for so long but then finally did it and looking back I wish I had done it sooner. All in all it was not that horrible. The recovery did suck once I got back home but it’s normal.
I have had my impacted teeth surgery nearly a week ago. Which they put a gold chain in your gums and connect it to you teeth to pull it down for my canines. If you guys are going under anaesthetic, don’t stress. I was and I turned out fine. I haven’t been back to my orthodontist yet, but when I do I will have braces 😄 They also took my wisdom teeth out, if you guys are having wisdom teeth removed. Make sure you take care of them. It is very painful, just take all your antibiotics and if needed painkillers and DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Also if your stitches come out, you should be okay, unless it was same day as surgery. Just take medication 3 times a day after eating as well as using lukewarm salt water to rinse your mouth out, don’t do it like moutbwash, just gentle swishes for a bit and then slightly tilt your head and let it slowly come out. Don’t spit a lot too because it can cause blood clots which protect you from infection and stuff. I didn’t get that much information from doctors, and plus I was pretty spaced out with the anaesthetic. Just, drink loads of water – take your medication when needed – gently rinse cheeks with warm salt water – eat soft foods like yogurt or pudding – brush your teeth gently and floss if you can gently just don’t rinse your mouth with water after brushing. Use the cup of salt water and gently rinse it out like before for at least a week or two if needed. Thanks guys if you read, sorry for the long comment. But this should hopefully help you from researching a lot.