Why do we have wisdom teeth?

Why do we have wisdom teeth?

Let’s rerun a scenario from your past—your mother tells you to make your bed and you grudgingly do it. You’re thinking, what’s the point of making your bed if it’s going to be slept in again? You might have the same feeling towards removing your wisdom teeth…I mean, what is the point of having wisdom teeth if they eventually have to get removed?

Let’s travel even further in our past to answer that.

Our beginnings

Although wisdom teeth pain is unpleasant, there was once a period of time where they weren’t uncomfortable. Our jaws were larger to accommodate more teeth, eliminating the problem of wisdom teeth pain. Wisdom teeth were important in ensuring our survival by helping us eat raw meat and unprepared food.

How we’ve evolved

Over time, our jaws became smaller because we learned to cultivate food, consequently leading to the proper preparation of food. In other words, our jaws became too small to accommodate wisdom teeth, while they also weren’t needed to chew food. Wisdom teeth removal in Ottawa is a common procedure today because wisdom teeth have become vestigial organs.

Wisdom teeth pain & problems

And if wisdom teeth pain didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be a problem with keeping them. However, unlike other vestigial body parts like the tailbone, wisdom teeth frequently pose health problems. As mentioned, wisdom teeth pain isn’t uncommon, caused from gum irritation when the teeth first break through. Other significant problems are the development of displaced teeth, chewing problems, or the formation of cysts. Even if they haven’t come out yet, the potential problems are enough for many people to choose wisdom teeth removal in Ottawa.

What can you do?

If you’re one of the few lucky people who have your wisdom teeth grow in straight without affecting your other teeth, then you get to skip a surgery! But if you’re like the vast majority of people, you’ll opt for wisdom teeth removal in Ottawa. In general, most people don’t have large enough jaws to accommodate wisdom teeth, and the easiest way to prevent problems is to remove them.

Future projections

You might be surprised to find out that a mutation has already occurred thousands of years ago to prevent the growth of wisdom teeth. Evolution is quite surprising, isn’t it? Even before the arrival of modern dentistry, our bodies have already anticipated future developments. This is why many scientists believe that wisdom tooth removal is natural, because they predict that wisdom teeth will altogether disappear in the future.

We once had wisdom teeth because they helped us survive. Nowadays, wisdom teeth removal saves us from pain and health problems. If you’re thinking about removing your wisdom teeth, make sure you consult a dentist for your best options.

Previous Post

Sugar free drinks and their surprising effects on your teeth

Next Post

Essential steps in preventing cavities in kids