What happens if you wait too long to get your wisdom teeth out?

One of the most dreaded moments is when one has the painful effects of their wisdom teeth not growing in properly. It has been commonplace to remove your wisdom teeth before they have a chance to cause further dental issues. However, many can’t help but to be curious about what would happen if they were to just leave their reason teeth in.

The truth of the matter is that while there is a chance that you might not experience problems, the chance is very small. Below you will see the top 10 problems that could be experienced if you wait too long to get your wisdom teeth out.

1. A chance where pain could be experienced, and hard to treat yourself.

This is especially true if a wisdom tooth becomes abscessed, as it could lead to pain in your jaw (as well as the tooth itself) and swelling. It might not like your wisdom teeth are the source of problems right now, pain could appear out of nowhere if it doesn’t grow in correctly, or if you begin to experience decay.

2. Gum disease could be caused by bacteria building among your wisdom teeth.

Decay isn’t the only thing that you have to worry about when you don’t remove your wisdom teeth in time. Gum disease (also called gingivitis or periodontal disease) is another common result of food being trapped within the gum line near your wisdom teeth. While this often starts with an infection, if it remains untreated it can lead to a more serious form of gum disease.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to ensure that you visit your dentist regularly for a checkup so that they can spot this issue as it arises. Most of the time, a dentist will recommend wisdom tooth extraction if the growth of your molar puts you at a higher risk for this type of complication or if they feel that there is a higher chance of infection setting in due to your wisdom teeth still being in.

It is important to keep in mind that if you leave gum disease untreated, it could lead to your teeth falling out. However, those receiving adequate dental care will be able to catch it in its early stage where it can still be treated before it has a chance of causing irreversible damage.

3. Future dental work could be required due to wisdom teeth shifting other teeth.

This also affects any orthodontic work that you may have had done previously as well. As wisdom teeth grow in, they can apply pressure onto your other teeth causing them to shift out of alignment and cause them not to be straight. For this reason, those who get braces later in life will have their wisdom teeth removed beforehand.

If your teeth become misaligned due to overcrowding caused by your wisdom teeth, the only solution is to embrace the help of an orthodontist (or other dentist experienced with orthodontics) to embrace a solution that will straighten your teeth back out once again. This could add to even more expenses than what would have been necessary if you would have just got them removed in the first place.

4. If a wisdom tooth infection starts to affect your blood vessels it could lead to high blood pressure.

Just as wisdom teeth have the chance to be the cause of one being at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke, if the infection enters your bloodstream it has a chance to affect your blood vessels directly. When this happens, there is a huge risk for having high blood pressure which isn’t only dangerous, but it has the potential to contribute to the onset of other serious medical conditions as well.

5. Not removing your wisdom teeth could put you at a higher risk for strokes and heart attacks.

The mouth-body connection may or may not be something that you have learned about, but it is essentially where the state of your oral health can have a direct effect on your overall health. As wisdom teeth remain untreated, there is a chance that any infections that set in could travel to other parts of your body as well.

The most common situation where this happens is where it travels directly to your heart, causing one to be at a higher risk of having a heart attack. Strokes are also a common condition that originates within your wisdom teeth due to infection setting in and not being treated in a timely manner. Both conditions do have the potential to be fatal.

6. Opening or closing your mouth could prove to be more difficult.

Commonly an issue when your jaw begins to swell due to an impacted or abscessed wisdom tooth, this issue can lead to difficulty when it comes to opening or closing your mouth. Not to mention, make it extremely difficult for you to eat or talk. If at any time you experience issues that affect the functionality of your mouth, you should reach out to your dentist immediately.

7. Other teeth could become broke when shifted by your wisdom teeth.

Breaking your other teeth is another result of tooth overcrowding caused by overcrowding, as it happens when your other teeth shift in an attempt to make room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to come in. While it doesn’t happen as much as misalignment that’s caused by overcrowding, it’s still a risk that anyone with wisdom teeth is subject to.

A lot of the time, fractured teeth will have to be removed as well if they’re not able to be fixed by another type of dental procedure (such as a dental crown). Keep in mind that if the fractured tooth isn’t in a serious state, there is still a chance that your dentist can fix it so that it doesn’t make it any more difficult to eat and talk than it has to be.

However, if it does have to be removed, the only way that you can fix it without leaving the space open where it was is to either get a dental implant or partial denture. This is a method where artificial teeth are used in place of the natural tooth to ensure that functionality isn’t affected as much as it would be if tooth replacement wasn’t embraced.

8. The roots of your teeth (and even your bone) could become damaged.

This usually happens when a wisdom tooth hasn’t had the chance to fully erupt from the gums. In times like this, a cyst can form and pose a risk of further complications such as hollowing out your jaw (by damaging the jawbone itself) or even damage the roots of your teeth.

While this may not be a condition that is talked about as often as some of the others that result from not having your wisdom teeth removed in time, it’s still a risk for many. The only way that one won’t have to face it is if they (or their dentist) catch the wisdom tooth in time and has it extracted to minimize the risk. Otherwise, there will be a chance that the cyst will develop and cause this type of damage.

9. Wisdom teeth are harder to take out as you get older.

This is because if you’re young when you get your wisdom teeth removed, the risk of complications arising from the procedure is minimal. Also, other types of issues related to the growth of wisdom teeth tend to happen as you age.

According to numerous studies that have been conducted, those who are 30 years of age or older tend to be at a higher risk of issues caused by their wisdom teeth. Since wisdom teeth aren’t required like they used to be, it’s best to have them removed as soon as they start to erupt. Not to mention, during eruption, there are usually times when its growth does pose a direct effect on your other teeth and if left untreated, these effects could lead to requiring more intensive dental work than one would have to have done if they removed them in time.

10. Wisdom teeth are more prone to decay than your other teeth.

While this may not make any sense at first, their position (which is in the very back of your mouth) makes it easier for a wisdom tooth to trap food and much more difficult to keep clean when you brush your teeth. When this happens, it’s a breeding ground for bacteria which is the main cause for your teeth to decay.

If you don’t have your wisdom teeth removed, you’ll still have to go to your dentist on a regular basis so that they can keep an eye on them. There is always a chance for them to grow in improperly as well as be the source of decay. Keep in mind that if any of your teeth begin to decay, that this issue can also spread to your other teeth causing a more serious problem.

If you have your wisdom teeth removed in time, you won’t have to worry about this becoming a problem for you. As when they’re removed, it’s much easier to keep that part of your mouth clean and free from infection by practicing good oral hygiene.

If you are currently experiencing any issues with your wisdom teeth or if you want to make sure that things are the way they should be, contact Dr. Jasmine Naderi today by phone or by sending in a contact request via our website. We’re able to provide the best wisdom tooth extractions in Houston while ensuring that the experience is as comfortable as it can possibly be. If you’re not in the Houston area, reach out to your local dentist to find out what options might be available to you.