Do I Need My Wisdom Tooth Removed? How to Know It’s Time

Despite their name, keeping your wisdom teeth can actually be quite unwise.

In fact, because of their location in the far back part of the mouth, wisdom teeth can cause a whole host of problems, ranging from crooked teeth to tooth decay.

So the question you might be asking yourself now is this; “Do I need my wisdom tooth removed?”

There are several reasons wisdom teeth might be removed, and in fact, some dentists suggest removing them before any symptoms arise at all, due to how often they end up needing to be removed regardless.

If you’re unsure, though, there’s plenty of telltale signs that they may need to come out.

Do I Need My Wisdom Tooth Removed?

Getting your wisdom teeth removed is a major decision. It can be expensive, and takes time, both during the procedure and after; because proper after care for wisdom teeth removal is important.

So how do you know if it’s worth considering?

First of all, if your wisdom teeth are starting to hurt, it’s time to get them looked at. Pain is the most common indicator that something is wrong back there.

Of course, pain is not a diagnosis; but it is a sign that something is wrong, and is indicative of a whole host of potential issues.

There are three main ways that your wisdom teeth can cause issues in your mouth, all to do with the way they grow in.

The first is when they don’t fully emerge from the gums. This causes the teeth to become trapped underneath the gum. This can result in infections, gum disease, and tooth decay, among other things.

If they emerge only part of the way, they create an easy pathway for food and bacteria to become trapped between the tooth and the gum. Once again, this is an easy source of gum disease and infection.

Both of these also make the wisdom teeth particularly prone to cavities, since it’s obviously much harder to clean a tooth well when it’s fully or partially covered up by your gums.

Even if the tooth fully grows in, it can still cause a range of problems.

Their distant location still makes them difficult to clean and more prone to cavities. And because of their size and position, they have a bad habit of crowding the other teeth in the mouth.

This results in crooked teeth, and depending on the severity, can even cause damage to the surrounding teeth.

Time to Take the Teeth Out

Hopefully now, figuring out the answer to “do I need my wisdom tooth removed” is a little bit easier. 

But using these telltale signs, spotting problems with your wisdom teeth, and making the decision to remove them should be easier than ever.

So the next time you experience some of these symptoms, give your dentist a call and get your wisdom teeth checked out. If something is wrong with them, you won’t regret getting them removed.

Keep reading our blog for more dental tips.

Author: IzzyWeb