Wisdom teeth: What you need to know

Your mouth goes through many changes in your lifetime. One major dental milestone that usually takes place between the ages of 17 and 24 years is the appearance of your third molars. Historically, these teeth have been called wisdom teeth because they come through at a more mature age.
When they come through correctly, healthy wisdom teeth can help you chew. It’s normal to feel a little discomfort when your wisdom teeth appear, but if you have pain, see your dentist immediately.

Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if there is no space for them to surface or they come through in the wrong position. If your dentist says your wisdom teeth are impacted, he or she means they are trapped in your jaw or under your gums.
As your wisdom teeth make their way through your gums, your dentist should monitor your mouth for signs of the following:

• Wisdom teeth that are not in the right position can allow food to become trapped. That gives cavity-causing bacteria a place to grow.
• Wisdom teeth that have not come in properly, which can make it difficult to floss between the wisdom teeth and the molars next to them.
• Wisdom teeth that have partially come through can give bacteria a place to enter the gums and create a place for infection to occur. This may also lead to pain, swelling and stiffness in your jaw.

• Wisdom teeth that don’t have room to come through are thought by some to crowd or damage neighboring teeth.
• A wisdom tooth that is impacted can form a cyst on or near the impacted tooth. This could damage the roots of nearby teeth or destroy the bone that supports your teeth.
Regular dental visits allow your dentist to evaluate your wisdom teeth and your overall dental health.

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The writer is a Dental  Surgeon, Dental Implantologist and UDA Publicity Secretary