Posted

at Dental Associates of Moreno Valley.

Questions

Q1. True or False –Wisdom teeth that never go beyond partial eruption can’t hurt you.

Q2. True or False – Wisdom teeth are obsolete in this day-and-age.

Q3. True or false – Third molars were termed “wisdom” teeth because you are considered to be of a wise stage in life when they first erupt.

Answers

A1. False – When a wisdom tooth fails to erupt through your gums completely, a soft tissue flap can develop and stick around. The name for this persistent flesh is operculum, and it can make it very difficult to clean teeth properly. Bacteria and food debris are likely to accumulate under the operculum, leading to potential infection. Extraction will generally be recommended in the case of a partial wisdom tooth eruption.

A2. True –There may have been a time in evolution when cooking meat wasn’t even a possibility, let alone a reality. The Cro-magnon diet generally consisted of nuts, roots, leaves, and occasionally raw meat. A third set of molars was a necessity in ancient history. These days, since we cook, bake, and cut everything into bite-sized pieces, wisdom teeth aren’t as important. That’s why removing wisdom teeth can be an easy decision when they cause trouble in your mouth.

A3. TRUE – Hippocrates was the first to associate third molars with wisdom. An ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates stated that the age that third molars erupted was a time when people began to have more natural wisdom. Hippocrates referred to the third molar teeth as sophronisteres, which meant “prudent teeth.” Later, in Rome, they were called dentes sapientiae, which translates to “teeth of wisdom.”

Moreno Valley Dentists offer Teeth Whitening

Visit your dentists in Moreno Valley if you have concerns regarding any of your teeth. We can also help with any of your general dentistry needs. To schedule an appointment at our 92533 dentist office  contacting us at (951) 697-6800. Located in the 92533 area, we proudly serve patients from Moreno Valley and all surrounding communities.