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Wisdom tooth extraction is a multibillion-dollar industry driven by myths that continue to be spread by the conventional dental profession for immense profit.
Over Spring Break during my senior year in college, I endured wisdom tooth extraction like just about everyone else I knew my age. To top it off, the dentist knocked me out for the procedure instead of using a simple local anesthetic plus laughing gas.
Needless to say, I spent most of my vacation on the living room couch with my mouth loaded with gauze! Recovery from the anesthesia caused even more complications.
Prior to surgery, were my wisdom teeth infected or painful in any way?
No.
Were they causing any sort of problems for me whatsoever?
No.
Then why in the world did I have them out you might ask?
Good question!
As it turns out, over two-thirds of cases of wisdom tooth extraction are completely unnecessary says Dr. Jay Friedman DDS in a study published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Of the approximately 5 million people who endure wisdom tooth extraction each year, 11,000 suffer what’s called “permanent paresthesia” which is a fancy name for numbness of the lip, tongue, and cheek resulting from nerve damage during the surgery.
The problem is, wisdom tooth extraction is quite the little oil well of profit for dentists with the costs of such surgeries topping 3 billion US$ each and every year.
Sounds like the standard practice of wisdom tooth extraction is a bit like “finding and filling” cavities that don’t exist, doesn’t it?
Ah, yes. There’s the rub.
According to Dr. Friedman:
Third-molar surgery is a multibillion-dollar industry that generates significant income for the dental profession, particularly oral and maxillofacial surgeons. It is driven by misinformation and myths that have been exposed before but that continue to be promulgated by the profession.
Dr. Friedman goes on to dismantle in very compelling fashion the 5 myths of wisdom tooth extraction.
Myth #1: Most Wisdom Teeth Cause Problems
The truth is that only 12% of wisdom teeth actually cause an acute issue somewhere down the road that requires the attention of a dentist to resolve.
This is about the same rate as appendicitis, but people do not routinely and preventively have their appendix removed like what happens with wisdom teeth!
Myth #2: Early Wisdom Tooth Extraction is Less Traumatic
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends the extraction of all 4 wisdom teeth by early adulthood before the roots are fully formed to minimize any chance of infection and pain.
The truth is that this early removal of wisdom teeth is actually much more traumatic than a wait and see approach which leaves asymptomatic wisdom teeth in place and only removes them if pathology develops in the future.
Further, complications from wisdom tooth extraction which include dry socket, secondary infection, and paresthesia (numbness of the lip, tongue, and cheek) are less likely to occur in an older patient than an adolescent.
Myth #3: Erupting Wisdom Teeth Crowd Anterior Teeth
Dr. Friedman writes that it is simply not possible for wisdom teeth to crowd 14 other teeth with firm vertical roots.
There is simply not enough force to do so and multiple studies support this fact.
Myth #4: Risk of Problems Increases With Age
A study of 1756 people who kept their wisdom teeth for an average of 27 years found that less than 1% experienced any cyst formation.
There is zero evidence to support the unsubstantiated claim by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons which states that problems with impacted wisdom teeth increase with age.
Myth #5: Risk of Harm is Small
The list of potential complications from wisdom tooth extraction is long.
- Pain
- Swelling
- Trismus (lockjaw)
- Hemorrhage
- Alveolar osteitis (dry socket)
- Periodontal damage
- Soft-tissue infection
- Injury to temporomandibular joint
- Malaise
- Temporary paresthesia (numbness of the lips, tongue, and cheek)
- Permanent paresthesia
- Fracture of adjacent teeth
- Fracture of the mandible
- Fracture of the maxilla
- Sinus exposure or infection
- Anesthetic complications
Even in cases where there are absolutely no complications whatsoever, wisdom tooth extraction requires 3 days of discomfort and disability while the patient recovers from surgery.
Given that no more than 12% of wisdom teeth ever cause any problems whatsoever at any point down the road, the risk of removal seems great in comparison.
Skip The Surgery!
So, if your dentist tells you or your child that it’s time for those wisdom teeth to come out when they aren’t causing any trouble at all, just politely smile, say “uh, no thanks”, and go home.
You just saved yourself a rather large chunk of change my friend.
Even in cases where you must remove the wisdom teeth, there is no need for antibiotics in most cases. A biological dentist has natural approaches to protect a patient from infection without destruction of the gut with meds.
Which Dentists Won’t Pressure You To Remove Wisdom Teeth?
If you are getting pressured to remove your child’s wisdom teeth, know that a biological dentist does not do this!
I get many requests about who I recommend as a truly holistic, biological dentist who understands the value to long-term health of the wisdom teeth and WON’T take them out unless absolutely necessary.
I recommend Dr. Carlo Litano of Natural-Smiles.com – (727) 300-0044.
He sees young children as well as adults and does phone consultations to help guide those who don’t live near his office. Be sure to tell Dr. Litano that Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist sent you and get 10% off your first visit!
Reference
American Journal of Public Health, Prophylactic Extraction of Third Molars: A Public Health Hazard, Jay Friedman DDS
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10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Avoiding Root Canals with Diet Alone
Could the Cause of Your Illness Be Right Under Your Nose?
Peggy Hass Grimins via Facebook
All four of my wisdom teeth were horizontally impacted and infected. It was so painful and the surgery and recovery were horrible too.
Michaela Vodvarka via Facebook
I don’t have bottom ones… I’ve had X-rays and they’re just not there!! Haha
Michaela Vodvarka via Facebook
I got mine when I was 15-16 and I only got my top ones… I still have them they didn’t shift my teeth or anything. No problems with them at all
Alternative Health Solutions via Facebook
wish I had never had them taken out when I was 22.
Ann Hibbard via Facebook
My parents sent me money to have all four removed. I only had the two that hurt removed and used the money for something else. Funny now. Not to mention that the two remaining wisdom teeth are some of the only ones that actually chew food today.
Tijana OCeallaigh via Facebook
Well I only had one of my wisdom teeth erupt pretty late, started to come out around age 28 or so. It only partially erupted and then stopped and hasn’t made any more progress in 5 years or so. My other two teeth will likely never erupt since they are still (at age 34) up above the jaw bone (the fourth one is missing all together). Anyway I went to the dentist a few months ago after a long hiatus and she recommended removing it, because it was only half out and apparently that can cause big problems with infections down the line and it’s only a matter of time and so on and she said if it were to get infected it could infect the whole jaw and the brain and blah blah blah – it all sounded pretty scary. I went ahead and did it, if it had been all the way out I would’ve just left it there, but she made it sound so scary! So I am wondering if those myths and facts still apply with partially erupted teeth?
Samantha Wikander via Facebook
I <3 my wisdom teeth!
Samantha Wikander via Facebook
I <3 my wisdom teeth!
Julie Cox via Facebook
I, too, had no room for my wisdom teeth, despite having lost 4 adult teeth in orthodontia. I hadn’t really thought about them, as they weren’t troubling me. I would have kept them if they didn’t, very suddenly, lock my jaw up completely, making my unable to open my jaw whatsoever to even force feed myself. Locked my jaw up on a Friday, chiropractor couldn’t relieve it Saturday and recommended visiting the dentist. Saw the dentist Monday and went straight from there to the oral surgeon. Got all 4 removed and was able to eat stir-fry that evening with no pain whatsoever. At check-ups, the surgeon was shocked at how easily, effortlessly, and painlessly I could open my mouth to the fullest extent.
My body had decided I had to get them removed.
I’m hoping things will be different for my kids, as their prenatal health and childhood health and diets are very different than mine.
Christina Cardwell via Facebook
Love this post! I have all 4 of mine. They have come in 1 at a time over the last few years. My mom thought I was crazy when I told her I wasn’t letting someone cut teeth out of my mouth for no good reason. 😉