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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
More Information
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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?
I had mentioned to my previous dentist that I always felt like i had a lot of pressure on my teeth & piercing sinus pains. I questioned him about getting my wisdoms out and he kept saying that I didn’t need to get them out.
Finally after switching dentists, they took new x-rays and noticed that all four wisdoms were impacted. They were pushing so much on my other teeth that the upper central incisors were slowly starting to go inwards (kind of like this: ^). Finally after having them removed I couldn’t be any happier! No more sinus pain and pressure, such a great relief.
Most dentists are just like doctors. They don’t care about your health; they only care about the money they are brainwashing you into giving them. Doctors give you harmful chemical filled prescriptions to cover up the problems only because they want your money. Most dentists con you into thinking you need your wisdom teeth out when the only reason is so they can steal your money. It’s absolutely sickening.
I am 29 and have had both top wisdom teeth pulled in the past due to cavities and pain. I recently went to the dentist for my bottom left wisdom tooth. It had a large cavity and was starting to hurt on a regular basis. So I had it pulled. Everything went fine during the extraction. Four days later, I went back to get a molar on the top right pulled, due to decay and the dentist told me that the remaining wisdom tooth had some bad roots and he suggested removal. I agreed and so while he was pulling and twisting I heard a bunch of cracking and then felt a large chunk o tooth fly from my mouth, into my hair! I thought everything was okay cause no one said otherwise. He then pulled the top molar, which hurt like hell and had to be dug and drilled on. When I got home, I changed my gauze and looked at the wisdom tooth site. I was shocked and pissed to find that the molar in front of the now extracted wisdom tooth was broken. There was a huge chunk taken from the back of the tooth. And it is sharp as hell which is tearing into the under side of my tongue. I also ended up getting a dry socket in the left wisdom tooth site. And that is very painful. So beware of who does the surgery and speak your mind because they are your teeth. That molar WAS cavity and break free until now. Good Luck!!
i only have two on the lower jaw, i can see only a little bit of both. Im 30, no pain, but my dentist wants some dollars. I told her, only get the fudge outta there!
chukah chukah ?
We canceled our daughters appt to have her wisdom teeth removed. The dentist recommended it, but after questioning the surgeon he said she had plenty of room in her mouth for them and no pain or sensitivity. And after seeing her Xrays myself, I could see her wisdoms were growing in straight. One was actually still very deep and they said they would have to work to get that one out. After discussing it as a family and reading material you recommended, we chose not to have her go through it. If things change in the future, then we will take a look again. But for now we are all so glad we didn’t allow them to guilt us into an unnessecary procedure for our daughter. Thank you for your infomative reports!!
Believe it or not I actually want mine taken out. I only have two on the upper set, and one of them is impacted and causing me a shit load of pain. I figure I’d rather have it out and gone instead of dealing with it. However, the one of my left side isn’t causing any issue, and I plan to have a talk with the orthodontist during the consultation to ask him if he really honestly thinks it’s necessary for that one to go, since it seems to be just fine. However, the one of my right side is making it painful for me to eat, so I do need that out. It’s also pushing the molar next to it outwards, so yes, I’d rather have that gone.
I had mine removed when mine were impacted and caused an infection. I remember feeling pain once and it subsided, and so I didn’t think much of it until 6 months later and a few days after that an infection set in, the right side of my face/jaw were swollen ..severe pain!. I can say that the Oral Surgeon who removed my wisdom teeth was fantastic..I’ve heard other people have problems afterwards (nerve issues) when this is not done correctly
I had to have mine out despite having intended not to, they came in when I was 25 and were crooked. The bottom two were impacted and one of those came up facing forwards in the gum space of the molar in front of it making a big open hole down to the bone. One on top was sideways and cut my inner cheek which got infected so I had to remove them… I had the fourth unerupted one taken out at the same time because if it came through it would face my cheek. The bottom ones hurt like hell to get out and I would not recommend removing wisdom teeth unless you NEED to. I know someone who has all his and they’re just fine. There’s a reason we have them…
Mine were recommended to be removed since there wasn’t enough room for them to come in fully (thanks, European sugar lovin’ genes) and they were decayed and causing gingivitis. I went through hell with the one dry socket, but it’s worth it if my oral health is better