Why is it called "wisdom" tooth?!


Question:

Why is it called "wisdom" tooth?

I am 26 and this morning I woke up to this huge swelling on my cheek. It is the back tooth. It's has been there for a few weeks under the flesh and today it is acting like crazy. Should I extract it? Or should I wait till the pain goes away?
Is it natural to have a tooth grow out at this late age? I thought I was done with this stupid stuff.


Answers:

The third molars are popularly called "wisdom teeth" because they do not usually appear until the late teen years, well after a person already has all of their other adult teeth. They can appear earlier, or later, and sometimes they do not actually break through the surface of the gums at all.

Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they can cause crowding of the existing teeth, which results not only in a great deal of pain, but also in forcing the other teeth out of place in the mouth. Sometimes, they are blocked from surfacing by the second molars, which results in what is called an impaction, meaning the tooth is trying to force its way to the surface, but cannot because it is being blocked.

Acute pain or swelling from wisdom teeth generally does not go away on its own, and can only be solved by having them extracted. In the US, it is extremely common for them to be extracted even before they have broken the surface, simply to keep them from causing other problems.

It is entirely normal for it to surface at an advanced age (advanced? HA! At 26, you are still a very young man). The best thing to do is consult with your dentist, and have him or her take X-rays of your mouth. Generally, it is simply easiest to have all four of them extracted at one time, rather than having each one done when it starts to cause problems. I don't know about Egypt, but here in the US, the cost of having all four done at the same time is only slightly more than having a single one done.

It is possible that once the tooth breaks the surface of your gums, the pain will go away, but usually if there is pain when it is surfacing, there will be pain once it has broken through, as well. Talk to your dentist, and have him or her advise you on the course of treatment they think is most reasonable.

In the meantime, you can rub clove oil on it, and that should help with the pain, as it is a natural numbing agent. You can also use an ice pack on the outside of your face to help with the pain. Of course, you can also take pain killers.

I wish you the best of luck. And by the way, you won't be done with that stupid dental stuff until you either have all four wisdom teeth broken through the surface, and not crowding your mouth, or you see them in a cup when you wake up after having them extracted. Then, with luck, you get a break for a while before you start having dental problems because you are getting older ;)




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