3 Dental Issues That Can Develop If Wisdom Teeth Are Not Removed
Wisdom teeth erupt during your teen or early adult years. These teeth, which are the third molars in your mouth, may seem harmless, but they can cause multiple dental issues if allowed to remain in place. Here are a few of them:
Wisdom teeth can cause your other teeth to become misaligned.
Wisdom teeth can cause the other teeth in your mouth to shift from their original position. This is often due to a wisdom tooth presenting an angle instead of a fully vertical position. As a wisdom tooth grows in sideways, additional pressure is placed on adjacent teeth. This pressure can force the teeth together in a crowded formation that may result in misalignment.
Additionally, sometimes the size of your mouth cannot accommodate the wisdom teeth. Since wisdom teeth are the last teeth to prevent the other teeth may be perfectly aligned before the wisdom teeth start to grow in. The addition of the wisdom teeth can crowd the other teeth in the palate.
Braces or other orthodontic alignment options may be used to correct a misalignment that comes from wisdom teeth. However, the wisdom teeth may need to be extracted before the orthodontic treatment begins. Nevertheless, if the wisdom teeth are extracted before they cause a dental misalignment, the need for braces may be avoided.
Wisdom teeth can cause gum inflammation.
Sometimes, a wisdom tooth does not fully present. In such an instance, a portion of the gums may overhang part of the tooth. As a result, bacteria and food may become trapped in a pocket formed by the overhanging gums. Inflammation, swelling and pain may result.
Removal of the wisdom tooth eliminates the pocket of gum tissue and the associated inflammation.
Gum inflammation may also occur around a wisdom tooth because it is simply difficult to clean around the tooth. Most toothbrushes are too large to adequately clean around a wisdom tooth due to its positioning in the rear of the mouth. In addition, it can be difficult to floss properly in such a tight space.
Wisdom teeth may cause adjacent teeth to become decayed
Because wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean, they may easily become decayed. Dental decay can be transferred to adjacent teeth. Thus, failing to remove wisdom teeth can incite the decay of other healthy teeth within your mouth.
To avoid complications that can stem from wisdom teeth, schedule a consultation with a dentist (such as Dr. Peter L Drob) in your area.
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