People have a hard time deciding whether or not to keep their wisdom teeth. For those who don’t know, wisdom teeth are the 3rd and final set of molars to erupt in the mouth. They could arrive as early as age 14 or 15, or as late as age 30. It is because of this that people are on the fence whether to get rid of their wisdom teeth.
Most dentists recommend their patients to remove the wisdom teeth in a proactive way. Removal of wisdom teeth should always be done if the teeth are in any way or form crowding, impacting, or infecting the area where they grow. But, this is not always the case and many people have their wisdom teeth erupt without any trouble, pain, or symptoms.
Why Should You Keep Your Wisdom Teeth Clean?
Wisdom teeth are different from other teeth. Their position in our mouth and gums makes them more susceptible to impacted food, gum disease, pocket formation, bone loss, abscesses, cavities and impacted or partially erupted teeth.
Due to the growth location of wisdom teeth, proper brushing and flossing are not enough to make them less susceptible to these problems. Wisdom teeth make the tissue around it less affected by the effects of brushing and flossing. Bacteria and food debris often find their way under the gum tissue, a place where our brush or floss does not reach. One of the solutions is to use Interdental Brushes.
How to Clean Around Your Wisdom Teeth?
Flossing and cleaning around the wisdom tooth area is hard and requires additional oral, dental, aids. It’s always important to brush along the gumlines to prevent any soft debris from forming. Flossing below the gumlines is also another way to prevent the formation of plaque. However, both these techniques are to some effect, limited, if the wisdom tooth has partially erupted or the gum pockets are present.
The best way to clean your wisdom teeth and the area around it is to visit your dentist for further instructions.
Why Do People Remove Wisdom Teeth?
From the countless reasons as to why people remove their wisdom teeth, we’ve singled out the most common, and most problematic, four.
-Wisdom Teeth Cause Crowding or Shifting
The biggest reason as to why people have asymmetric teeth is due to wisdom teeth. As wisdom teeth can cause crowding within the jawline, it forces your other teeth to shift. It is the main reason why people have to wear bracelets.
-They are Extremely Hard to Clean
We mentioned that due to their location, wisdom teeth are extremely hard to clean. They are located so far back in the mouth that it makes reaching them incredibly difficult.
-Impacted Teeth
When wisdom teeth are blocked, and can’t come in properly, they remain underneath the gums and that causes them to grow sideways or at a specific angle.
-Other Complications
Other complications such as fluid-filled growths (or cysts) can occur which damage your teeth, as well as, your bones and nerves within your jawline. Other issues related to wisdom teeth are uncomfortable pain or constant pain in the area of your wisdom teeth.
