4 Myths About Wisdom Tooth Removal You Need to Stop Believing

When myth is stronger than fact, it can spell disaster for your oral health. We’ve spoken with hundreds of clients who had heard some truly outrageous stuff, and frequently, it was this misinformation that kept them from making an appointment for the dental services they needed and wanted. One particularly frequent subject where this pops up is in regard to wisdom teeth.

Dealing with wisdom teeth is something that over 75% of the population has in common, but it’s still largely a mystery for most people. Today, we’re putting a stop to the gossip. Here are four common myths about wisdom teeth and why you should stop believing them.

1. If you’re not a teenager anymore, you don’t need to worry about wisdom teeth.

As with braces, wisdom teeth are something commonly attributed to the trials of youth. If they don’t erupt before you hit twenty years of age, then you don’t need to worry about them…or so the rumour goes. In actuality, your teeth are still growing, shifting, and settling well into your twenties.

There’s no magical cutoff age when it comes to your wisdom teeth. If you’ve got an impacted tooth, tooth pain, or recurring oral infections, then it’s likely time to have your wisdom teeth removed by your local Barrie dentist.

2. You have to get all four of your wisdom teeth removed.

It would be nice if every set of wisdom teeth came in precisely the same way, and all at once, but it’s very rarely as simple as simply removing all four. See, your wisdom teeth don’t operate as a set – they’re individual teeth, all on their own. Where one might be impacted on one side of your mouth, its compatriot on the other side might be perfectly fine. You might even be part of the 25% of the population born without one, two, or three of your wisdom teeth.

If a wisdom tooth is causing you pain, your dentist will address their treatment to that specific tooth. Unless your remaining wisdom teeth are also likely to cause complications for your overall oral health, your dentist will likely leave them right where they are.

3. You’ll be stuck awake while your dentist removes your wisdom teeth.

It might be fun to tell dramatic stories about being completely awake and in intense pain while a dentist yanks out your wisdom teeth, but it’s never the case in real life.

Your Barrie dentist will recommend a form of sedation dentistry, either in the form of laughing gas or general anesthesia, to help keep you comfortable and relaxed during the procedure. For example, at Dr. Elston Wong Dentistry, we offer conscious sedation either through nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation or nitrous oxide together with an oral sedative.

4. It’s normal to have pain from your wisdom teeth.

We should be clear – at no point is it normal to have pain from wisdom teeth. Now, it’s true that many people experience pain as a symptom of erupting or impacted wisdom teeth, but this doesn’t mean you have to live with it. Sometimes, pain from your wisdom teeth might be felt more as general jaw pain or even a headache.

Regardless of how your pain is coming through, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. The longer you leave it alone, the more time it has to become worse, creating more pain for you and likely requiring more attention to fix it later on.

Advice From Your Barrie Dentist

You should expect your dentist in Barrie to have your long-term oral health as a top priority. Dr. Elston Wong Dentistry is here to listen to your needs – whether it’s a smile makeover or removal of your wisdom teeth – and to develop personalized solutions that not only meet your needs but also prioritize your health and comfort. We have the dental services your family needs to maintain good oral health at every age, whether it is preventive or restorative care.

For more information on wisdom tooth removal at Dr. Elston Wong Dentistry, or any of our other dental services, give us a call at (705) 721-1143. You can also send us a message online.