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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
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I had one removed when I was 19 because it was causing sores on the inside of my cheek. The rest I have just left alone (two others are out and one has never come up)! I’m so glad I did after reading this!
I do wish I hadn’t had mine out, though I just had them out under local! A young acquaintance of mine did have a severe reaction during a wisdom tooth extraction under general anesthesia… Heart stopped, medically induced coma…awful but ok in the end, thank God.
I had a toothache and my dentist insisted it was my wisdom teeth. I had them extracted on the left side and lo and behold…as soon as I healed, the toothache was still there. I actually had a very deep cavity in my back molar. I was very ticked off that I spent so much money (no insurance) and pain to go through a worthless procedure. The oral surgeon told me to make an appointment so I could get the right ones out too. I told him “don’t call me…I’ll call you.”
My sister went in for routine wisdom tooth removal and came out without feeling in her tongue. She lost the ability to taste except for one tiny area.
Diana Adams worth thinking about!
My daughters, one bio and one adopted, were both told that they had impacted wisdom teeth and needed the surgery. I find it rather odd that they both did at the same time with the same problem. We never went back to that doctor!
My dentist told me that my wisdom teeth were fine but that they should be removed because I wouldn’t be able to clean them properly. :/
So sad ! My guess she may have had methylation issues / MTHFR . 🙁
That is crazy and never heard of it being so dangerous.
I also think this article is bad advice. As it is unnecessary for some to get their wisdom teeth out, that is not the case for everyone. I really wish my mom had gotten my wisdom teeth out when I was a teenager, when I was still under my parents insurance. I had braces and got them off when I was 14. I got a permanent retainer on my bottom front teeth. The dentist did recommend getting them out. Since we didn’t, my bottom teeth all got pushed forward, and 2 teeth next to the permanent retainer on both sides are majorly sticking out. Thankfully you can’t really see my bottom teeth much when I smile. Worse, my top teeth are worse than they were before I got my braces! My one tooth is quite embarrassing honestly, and I am now working on getting my teeth caught up so I can get braces on my top teeth again. UGH! I got one of my wisdom teeth out a few years ago when it was giving me major headaches and hurt like heck. I just got the other 3 wisdom teeth out yesterday. Did it suck? Definitely! A couple of them were sideways, and one was trying to come out of the side of my gum instead of the top. The dentist was pushing on the side of my face by my bottom jaw so hard that my jaw felt like it was dislocating, and he was actually crunching up my wisdom teeth with his finger because they were so hard to get out! The right side of my face is all puffed up today, although the pain is minimum unless I’m messing around with it. My husband looked in there today and said that gum looks mutilated! All of the teeth looked decayed and the teeth they were touching also have some decay close to where the wisdom teeth were. Definitely take your dentist’s advice, or if you’re worried about it, a few dentist’s advice! My husband has a large mouth and has had no problem at all with his wisdom teeth. Listen to your kids’ dentists and help out their future by getting them out before it screws everything up, like what happened to me!