Is Keeping Wisdom Teeth Wise?

A wisdom tooth is a molar tooth. We call it the third molar because it is the third tooth of that type to erupt. In fact, it’s usually the last tooth that comes in (if it comes in!) and that can occur anytime between the ages of 17 and 30. Though for some people, the wisdom teeth do try to come in before age 17.

Most people need to have their wisdom teeth removed as a teen or young adult. A few lucky people don’t develop wisdom teeth at all! Why do we recommend having your wisdom teeth out?

Because they’re way in the back of your mouth, wisdom teeth usually have to fight to find enough “parking space” in the mouth. If your wisdom teeth do not have enough room to come in but try to anyway, they may tip sideways. If there’s no room for them at all, they may stay buried below your gum and bone. We call this an impacted wisdom tooth. Cysts can form around impacted wisdom teeth and cause injury to surrounding jawbone or roots of teeth.

Even if there is not enough room for them, your wisdom teeth continue to grow and may collide with the teeth in front of them, causing damage to otherwise healthy teeth and bone.

If your wisdom tooth comes partway in, it creates an opening in the gum that can allow food, plaque and bacteria to enter. This may result in tooth decay or a gum infection both around your wisdom tooth and possibly on the tooth in front of it.

It’s also very hard to keep your wisdom teeth clean because they are so far back in the mouth. Cavities can start in hard to clean areas.

When wisdom teeth are removed, the fewest complications occur if it’s done between ages 16-19. So if you, or someone you know, is in this age range, and needs wisdom teeth removed, I’d urge you to do it sooner rather than later.

since E-cigarettes first appeared, people have debated whether they are a positive development. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Teens have also weight in. A recent study found that 73% of teens think e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes.

About 40 percent of teens nationwide say they used vaporizers such as e-cigarettes, because they tasted good and they were curious about what they were like. Fewer (about 10% of teens) said they used them in an attempt to quit smoking regular cigarettes.

Vaporizers (including e-cigarettes) are battery powered devices with a heating element. They produce an aerosol also known as vapor or mist, that users inhale. The aerosol may contain nicotine, although the specific contents are proprietary and are not regulated. The liquid that is vaporized comes in hundreds of flavors. Some of these flavors, such as bubble gum and milk chocolate cream, are likely to attract younger teens.

What does the scientific evidence say?

Protecting the Lungs: E-cigarettes do not burn tobacco, so some people think they may not be as harmful to the lungs as other tobacco products. It’s

too early to be sure that’s true. Fewer Deaths? Research has found that smokers who switch to e-cigs might be consuming fewer chemicals than those found in tobacco. So some think that e-cigs might reduce the number of smoking deaths. Helping People Quit Smoking: Some studies have said that e-cigarettes may help people quit using tobacco completely when they switch to vaping. Other research has found that e-cigs may help people consume less tobacco.

What about the risks?

Addiction potential: Some researchers worry that e-cigarettes have a lot more dangers than benefits. For starters, e-cigarettes contain nicotine, just like tobacco does. Nicotine can lead to addiction. Inhaling metals: Certain e-cigarette brands contain high levels of metals like nickel and chromium which might come from heating coils. When these metals are inhaled, they can toxic (poisonous) and potentially lead to cancer. Gateway drug: Several studies found that some teens would have not used tobacco if they hadn’t used e-cigs first. Teen e-cig users are 30.7% times more likely than their non-using peers, to smart smoking within 6 months of starting to use ecigarettes. The nation’s top doctor is sounding the alarm on e-cigarettes, especially when used by teens and young adults. “These products are now the most commonly used form of tobacco among youth in the United States, surpassing conventional tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and hookahs,” wrote Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the US surgeon general. In fact, use of e-cigarettes among high school students increased by 900% from 2011 to 2015. Yet nicotine can damage the developing teen brain while leading to addiction. Compared with older adults, the brain of youth and young adults is more vulnerable to the negative consequences of nicotine exposure,” noted Murthy.