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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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Resolving Periodontal Problems with Bone Broth
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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?
I personally did have impacted painful wisdom teeth, but my brother did not. So mine are gone, his are still there – good call Mom! Even back then, I think I was 20, I recognized that my situation was very rare and that ALL of my peers were having surgeries (and very lengthy recoveries) for absolutely no reason at all. I have wondered why perfectly healthy young people should have surgery on perfectly healthy teeth that are, after all, totally normal! It’s considered a rite of passage than no one thinks twice about. I think there’s something else going on here too. So many folks here are commenting on having crowded, impacted and problematic teeth…Do I even need to bring up Dr. Price’s research here? I think we’re veered so far from nutritious food, our bodies are unable to form proper, wide enough jaws to hold all the teeth we need.
I’ve had all four removed, the bottom 2 surgically as they were growing towards my teeth rather than up and out. I had had braces and 4 other molars removed as well as I have a small mouth. I’m not sure anymore why the top 2 were removed as there seems to be room there, but since they’ve been out I’ve had sinus infections constantly. I had never had one before. They were removed when I was about 21. The root of one of the bottom ones was right next to my nerve so I was sent to a specialist. Seeing how common nerve damage can be I’m sure thankful! I did have a LOT of pain with the healing of the bottom ones. They got infected and I kept squeezing out a waxy substance. It took a long time to heal.
I still have my wisdom teeth, they are a little hard to clean sometimes by that’s the only problem I have
where i come from (Uganda) i had never heard of people pulling their wisdom teeth until i came here in the US and the dentist was telling me take mine out i told him they aren’t bothering me (they only hurt when they were popping out and seeing i am 30 and still growing my third..lols..hubby says me and the baby are both still growing) anyway all my teeth are well aligned and i kinda prefer to leave it that way..oh the hygienist who suggested said they were so far back they couldn’t reach them with the tools!!! but they have no cavities/decay…time will tell for now they are doing a good job for my steak…sweeet
Thank you so much, Sarah. I feel so alone when it comes to dental ideals. I haven’t let my dentist remove my wisdom teeth simply because it feels wrong to me. I’m glad to have some sense behind my emotions! Thank you for this article!
I used to have problems with my wisdom teeth every 3-4 months or so when I got popcorn stuck in my gums. The problems went away once I adopted a Primal diet. Haven’t had an infection in over a year. My dentist is a good guy too, he said to only get them removed if they get infected often (once a month or more).
That dentist is a keeper 🙂
I’m in my early 20s and I have a partly erupted wisdom tooth on one side but not the other. It’s not causing me any problems so thats why I don’t want to go to a conventional dentist (because I know what they will say). Though it can be difficult to brush back there.
Just another reason why I am so relieved to find an holistic dentist in out area for my kids – one who doesn’t use fluoride & doesn’t advocate unnecessary procedures! However, I’ve had out 2 sets of wisdom teeth – if you can believe it??? I was in extreme agony from the first set that we’re all impacted & causing plenty of pain, when they did an X-ray they discovered another set pushing up from underneath!!! Apparently it’s very rare but my second set caused a few painful issues as well and had another 2 removed. Anyway, I am assuming that this was all true, however, I was a teenager, so, who really knows if it was right for it to be done??? Thankfully, I’ve not had any problems or pain since.
I only have 2 wisdom teeth, and dentists told me I would have to consider having them removed…but when I asked why, because there was no pain, no reason, they just said it could push other teeth together causing more dental issues…at the time I was not as informed as I am now, so I was like, “oh, ok.”…and never did anything about it. Now I know! Great article.
Skip That Surgery: Most Wisdom Tooth Extractions Unnecessary – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/qFqjuIWP