Why Do We Get Wisdom Teeth?

Officially called as the third molars, nobody really knows why wisdom teeth develop so late or why we have them, in the first place. The name “wisdom” is taken from how these teeth often come in between the ages of 17 and 25, which is called by many as the “age of wisdom”.

Unlike other teeth, the eruption of the wisdom teeth is rarely noticeable, if at all. But, it’s still important to know when it erupts so you can have them removed well before they cause any kind of dental complication. Unfortunately, if you’re like the many others who rarely visit their dentist, you may want to watch out for the following symptoms:

• Experiencing difficulty or pain when opening jaws
• Noticeable bad taste in your mouth, or bad breath
• Pain when chewing, biting, talking or simply opening your mouth
• Obvious swelling of the gums in the back of your mouth, where the wisdom teeth are located

If you feel any amount of pain, do know that unless the tooth has been taken out, it will come and go for weeks, or even months. Either way, your wisdom teeth do not spell good news for you as it can cause swelling and infection on the flap of gum on top of it. If the infection resulting from the wisdom tooth is not treated and removed surgically, the infection can spread to the throat, or into the neck. In worse cases, removal will not only require surgery, but also an extended stay in the hospital.

Contact Creative Dimensions Dentistry in Castro Valley, CA at 510-881-8010 to schedule an appointment for a checkup today. 

Creative Dimensions Dentistry proudly serves Castro Valley, San Leandro, Hayward, Oakland, Fremont, Russell City and all surrounding areas.