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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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What is the True Cause of Crooked Teeth?
10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Avoiding Root Canals with Diet Alone
Could the Cause of Your Illness Be Right Under Your Nose?
Great post! This is precisely why at 35 years of age, I still have all 4 wisdom teeth! My (former) dentist tried to persuade me to get them out my senior year in college. His rationale (“you don’t want to have to get them out before finals…blah blah blah”). My answer? They are not causing a problem, they do not hurt, I’ve never had a cavity, my mouth is fine, I’m keeping my wisdom teeth. I plan to keep them forever! Thanks for bringing light to this issue. I didn’t realize there are so many complications with removing them.
It’s funny but I’ve thought a lot about this lately. I had wisdom teeth removed in high school (back then my parents and I never thought to question the wisdom of our medical practitioners). We were told they would crowd my mouth. Guess what? Now I’m 37 and my teeth are SPREADING. I had a huge gap between two teeth because I have too much room. Teeth naturally “float” a little bit anyway, and now they have fewer teeth to anchor them in. I will NOT have my daughter’s teeth pulled while a teenager. She can make that decision for herself as an adult.
I personally waited until it was necessary. They were causing me jaw and headaches and crowding out my other teeth. I am a prime example of a poor, modern, American diet growing up affecting my teeth. Thankfully, so far, my children seem to have a good basis for good dental health and growth.
Damn I wish I knew this before I got mine out:/ http://t.co/RhE3bEkF
Thank you Sarah for shedding some light on this issue. Dental health/truth feels like an area where there is just not enough information out there. My son, age 11 has a baby tooth that has not come down yet. His teeth are slightly crowded and right now it doesn’t have enough room to come down. The dentist wanted to have him undergo surgery to have it removed even though it is not causing him any problems. When I asked 2 oral surgeouns what would happen if we just waited till all his baby teeth came out to see what would happen, niether of them could answer my question. Of course they both wanted to remove it anyway but could not find any reason why we should not wait. I’m waiting and givng him plenty of CLO, butter and raw kefir int he meantime!
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist busts 5 myths on wisdom tooth extractions. http://t.co/uCNYgkCG
Your timing is superb. I only have 2 wisdom teeth. One came in when I was about 18 and has never been a problem, except for it’s a little crowded to brush it. The other one never erupted. Now, however, I have gingivitis and the periodontist wants to pull the unerupted tooth and surgerize (my word) all four quadrants. I am looking around for alternatives and if any of you have ideas I am open to them!
Thanks for sharing your article and all the research links!
When I was 17 I had a wisdom tooth that had erupted and was causing me trouble so I went in to have it pulled. When I sat down they began to numb all four corners of my mouth – when I asked why, they said they were going to pull all four! I was confused. “But only one is causing me trouble!” (My teeth were in no way crowded. My other wisdom teeth were normal – not impacted, etc.) The response was, “If we pull one, we just pull them all at the same time. It’s a matter of course.”
I assumed that sooner or later I’d have to have them all out anyway, so I submitted compliantly.
In the future, I wonder how these traditions will be changed? For instance, we don’t all have our tonsils out automatically any more. Amazingly, “further research” has uncovered an important role the tonsils play in our health! I have come to the conclusion that the body is fearfully and wonderfully made, and the Creator knew what He was doing when he assembled us!
This is timely for me as well. My dad has crooked lower front teeth, which happened as his wisdom teeth came in (I’m told). The dentist told me, when I was in my teens, that I needed to have them out because my teeth were already going crooked on the bottom and my wisdom teeth would make it worse when they came in. So now, I have six kids and assumed that they would need them out. I don’t want to chance the crooked lower teeth. My oldest has straight teeth right now. I would love to skip all these surgeries! ???? Now, to figure out what to do with the canines that are sticking out the the boys. They play basketball and get injuries often because of these teeth! Any words of wisdom for me? 🙂
I kept my wisdom teeth, and it made my previously some teeth on the lower part crooked.
I had super straight teeth there before. But I told myself, I’m not a movie star, so who will care……?!!
Let me try this again:
All my teeth were straight. I decided not to get my wisdom teeth pulled. Eventually some of the teeth on the bottom DID become a bit crooked. But, since I wasn’t a movie star, I told myself, well – who is going to care?!
Anyway, it’s the kind of crooked that’s barely noticable, too…..
I was told repeatedly by my dentist that I needed my wisdom teeth out in my early twenties. I refused (mainly because I watched what my sister went through and I have an aversion to pain) and I’ve never had a problem. I only have my two bottom wisdom teeth. They both came in fine. No pain, no crowding, no problems.
I have the same exact story. My dentist repeatedly told me I needed them removed throughout my twenties but I watched what my sister went through and this was before I had kids so I thought I couldn’t deal with the pain. My bottom two came in fine and have never bothered me. My top two never made an appearance.