Although it may not be at the top of your list, taking care of your wisdom teeth this summer can be a wise decision! 

Many of us have had some or all our wisdom teeth removed. Often, we’ve had them removed because our dentist and oral surgeon told us it was necessary. Perhaps they were coming in sideways or putting undue pressure on your jaw or adjacent teeth. If you’ve had your wisdom teeth removed, your dentist and oral surgeon likely told you in so many words that your wisdom teeth simply weren’t going to fit. While that was certainly true, here are the 5 greatest preventative benefits of wisdom teeth removal.

1. Less crowding means fewer orthodontic problems

When wisdom teeth develop and erupt, they can overcrowd your mouth, causing damage to adjacent molars. When there is not room for them, wisdom teeth can cause alignment issues over time, as other teeth are slowly pushed out of the way. Thus, removing your wisdom teeth lessens the likelihood that you will need braces or other expensive forms of corrective surgery to address teeth misalignment. If you’ve already had braces or corrective oral surgery, wisdom teeth removal lessens the likelihood that your hard-earned smile will be undone.

2. Prevent damage to nearby teeth

The pressure caused by wisdom teeth can weaken and even loose the roots of nearby teeth or grind away enamel, leaving neighboring teeth vulnerable to cavities and bone loss. In addition, wisdom teeth themselves can be very difficult to reach, and thus to keep clean. Erupted wisdom teeth that have completely emerge are considered impacted wisdom teeth. These can be nearly impossible to keep clean. Wisdom teeth removal can spare you the need for costly and uncomfortable root canals and fillings.

3. Decrease the risk of oral disease and inflammation

Dental cavities and various forms of gum disease are made more likely by the persistence of wisdom teeth, particularly impacted ones. A frequent consequence of impacted wisdom teeth is inflammation of the gums, which can be persistent and very difficult to treat. Infections that get under your gums can affect nerves or enter the blood stream, becoming a condition called sepsis that effects the rest of the body. Sepsis can be a serious and life-threatening disease.

4. Lessen orofacial pain

In addition to preventing cavities and disease, wisdom tooth extraction has the added benefit of easing simple discomfort. Alleviated pressure, lessened gum sensitivity, and relieved tooth sensitivity are all made possible by the removal of those pesky third molars. The result is an improved quality of life and fewer limitations on which food and drink you can enjoy. Pressure from wisdom teeth can also cause chronic headaches.

5. Prevent cysts, tumours, and jaw damage

Impacted wisdom teeth can be feeding grounds for bacteria, which can lead to cysts or tumors that invade the jawbone and cause serious joint pain in your temporomandibular joint.