I figured everything was more or less cool.
Wisdom tooth, or third molar, extraction is a common procedure.
Its practically a rite of passage for folks in their late teens or early 20s.
Why, Ive always thought, would I voluntarily have a perfectly healthy part of my skeletal system removed?
After all, my theory that they never cause problems had just been disproven.
Common as it is, the procedure isnt entirely without controversyand not just from conspiracy theorists like me.
And the longer you put it off, the riskier it gets.
Thats not many people, statistically speakingless than a quarter of a percent.
Dodson is also the associate editor of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
So no matter what, they need to be monitored.
Typically, we seek medical care for our bodies when something is bothering us.
But this approach doesnt really work for wisdom teeth.
Asymptomatic does not indicate the absence of disease, says Rafetto, rather merely the absence of symptoms.
Meaning you cant rely on the ouch factor to be sure your wisdom teeth are a-ok.
In fact, by the time theyre bothering you, things might be in bad shape indeed.
Wisdom teeth present an elevated risk for cavities and gum disease.
Isnt keeping our wisdom teeth clean something we civilians can manage on our own?
Not usually, says Dodson.
It is difficult to enter the back of the mouth to clean the wisdom teeth.
And if access is feasible, it can be almost impossible to clear well partially erupted teeth.
It calls the practice a public health hazard and says that fully two-thirds of the annual surgeries are unnecessary.
Its author, Dr. Jay W. Freidman, has been on a crusade against routine removal for decades.
But I dont want to end up likeLisa Simpsons projected future without braces, either.
My reluctance has put me in a bind, of course.
How to Decide
Treatment isnt always a simple binary: to pull or not to pull.
Coronectomypartial removalcould keep your mouth healthy.
Theres also frequent repetition of the heinous deep-cleaning I underwent.
I can have mine out now as a high-risk patient.