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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?
Ali Wright via Facebook
I so wish I never got all four wisdom teeth out! Traumatic experience with long-term effects – horrible head/jaw/neck pain, couldn’t eat solid food for six weeks, TMJ, and eventually turned into chronic headaches/migraines/dizziness. I was forced to take a few years off from college. It’s been a long journey – 7 years from this January and I’m still not completely healed. All this to say, please avoid this surgery if you can!
Ashley Trueman via Facebook
My dentists says I’m more “evolved” (jokingly) because I don’t have any wisdom teeth at all. They just never developed and there’s no sign if them coming.
Lisa Ristuccia via Facebook
My husband had his removed at the nice old age of 40…he was supposed to have had them out when he was in his late 20’s and back when we had double dental insurance. But he waited, his bottom teeth shifted as the teeth came in, his jaws ached all the time and we ended up with a big dental bill to boot. His jaw is no longer aching and he recovered fairly well for an old person (40 being old for the surgery.) Now my mom is having pain from her wisdome teeth but she is on blood thinner and 64. Nobody will perform the surgery on her as she is too risky so she gets to live in daily pain. She wishes she had had it done when she was healthy. So not sure this is always a good idea. Easy to say if you are young(er) and not in any pain.
Debbie Pavloff via Facebook
I had all 4 of mine out years ago but there wasn’t room in my mouth to get them clean as they should be and there were full of cavities. Of course, that was before I was into healthy eating and reading about all that goes on in the medical profession. I was ignorant.
Lori Lamb via Facebook
I’ve often wondered why God gives us 32 teeth and then we are told that 4 of them need to be removed. Crazy It was bad enough that I had those 4 removed but then they filled 13 of my teeth with mercury fillings that later cost me 2500 to have removed because of toxic levels of mercury in my body. More and more I think unless necessary the further you can stay away from Dr’s and Dentists the better for your health.
Mamatha Balasubramanian via Facebook
Thanks so much for this post! Every time I go for a dental check up, my dentist tells me I need to have my wisdom teeth extracted as they may cause problems in the future but I’ve been postponing for various reasons (TTC, pregnancy, breast feeding…). Now I know better.
Tiffani Beckman-McNeil via Facebook
still have all 4 of mine, even though they aren’t completely erupted. and i’m 38! I have to convince them everytime I want to keep my teeth until there is a problem.
Edeline Hubregtse via Facebook
I’m 52 and glad to say I’ve got all my wisdom teeth still in my jaw.
Cindy Townes Ritchey via Facebook
I had a dentist who told me every visit to get them out. He finally gave up because only if I’m having problems would I even consider it. And I only have three and a couple don’t have roots.
Dee Plough Karnes via Facebook
I still have one of mine and I’m 66 yrs old!