Wisdom teeth or third molars.  We all wonder why we have them.

Once upon a time we needed them.  Now we do not need them so much but we still get them.

They normally erupt in our mid twenties, although they can come through at any stage of of our life. Some people, if they are lucky will not have them come through at all.

Normally we don’t have any problems with them. But at times when they erupt they can make the gums ache and become swollen. This is caused by food and bacteria get stuck under the gum that is still covering the remainder of the tooth. If that is the case for you, seeing a dentist is a good thing. The dentist can either flush the area with some antibacterial solution or give the tooth a clean around the gums allowing what ever is causing pain to cease.

Alternatively, people decide to have them removed due to pain, decay or they feel like they don’t need them. It is a relativity straightforward procedure with most treatment done in chair with local anesthetic. In some case where there looks to be complications the dentist will refer you onto a Oral surgeon.

If you are lucky the wisdom (third molars) will grow through and will you never have any issues. On the other hand, wisdom teeth are one of the hardest teeth to clean. It is not uncommon for people to have a cavity filled on these teeth at one time or another.  To prevent this from happening make sure that you brush them correctly, that you get every surface and floss every day. Regular cleans from your friendly dentist will help prevent this too.

If you are having any issues with any of your molars. Please call on (07) 3284 4281 or book online