Why do we have wisdom teeth?
Most people know that wisdom teeth are commonly removed. This is because these teeth are often very problematic to oral health and wellbeing when they are retained. Even though it is common knowledge that many people have their wisdom teeth extracted, some people might be wondering why our bodies develop these teeth in the first place. Wisdom teeth are a third set of molars that emerge between the ages of 17 and 25. Our early ancestor’s diets consisted of rough food like nuts and meats, which required stronger chewing forces resulting in excessive tooth wear. Due to bad oral hygiene practices along with the fact that dental care was not accessible, wisdom teeth came in handy because most people lost their other molars to disease by early adulthood. Now that people have access to high quality dental healthcare and are more educated about oral health, our first and second sets…