The presence of wisdom teeth in our mouths has often been seen as a biological quirk. These third and final sets of molars don’t always fit comfortably in our jaws.
Our permanent teeth emerge in a gradual sequence during childhood, with most teeth in place by our early teens, except for the wisdom teeth, which typically appear between ages 17 and 24. When there isn’t enough space for them, they become impacted, unable to properly break through the gums.
Traditionally, it was believed that individuals with impacted wisdom teeth faced dire consequences in the past, leading to a selective advantage for those without these problems. Those who lacked these problematic molars supposedly passed on genes for fewer teeth to future generations. However, contemporary research challenges this view, suggesting that the issues with third molars may be linked to changes in diet, particularly the shift to softer foods during childhood, made possible by the advent of farming and industrialization.
Here’s an alternative hypothesis:
In comparison to the tougher diets of hunter-gatherer societies, agricultural and processed foods are notably softer. Think of porridge and French fries versus wild fruits and roasted game. Harder foods during childhood seem to stimulate jaw growth, enabling our mouths to accommodate three sets of molars. On the other hand, soft foods don’t provide enough chewing resistance to maximize jaw growth potential.
According to this perspective, overcrowding in our mouths isn’t an evolutionary problem but rather a developmental one. Genetics alone may not dictate the fate of wisdom teeth; instead, childhood diets and chewing habits likely have a more substantial impact.
Globally, approximately 22 percent of individuals are missing one or more wisdom teeth, while 24 percent experience impacted wisdom teeth. On the flip side, over half the world’s population forms normal, functioning wisdom teeth. So, when in human evolution did wisdom teeth become a wildcard? This transformation likely occurred several million years ago. Our hominin ancestors had remarkably large back teeth. Australopith species, such as the famous Lucy fossil, possessed molars with chewing surfaces approximately double the size of today’s molars, despite their smaller stature. This trend of dental size reduction has continued throughout human evolution. By the time Homo erectus emerged around 2 million years ago, molar surface area had decreased to about 1.5 times what it is today.
Now, let’s consider the impact of changes in diet and food preparation techniques.
The advent of stone tools, used by Homo erectus, enabled our ancestors to soften wild foods through pounding and cooking, reducing the need for large molars. Around 12,000 years ago, the shift to farming further altered our diets, with domesticated products like wheat flour and cow’s milk being much softer than wild foods.
Fast forward to modern times, and industrialized food production has led to even softer meals. In Westernized societies, people consume protein shakes, soft burgers, and chewy snacks, a far cry from the diets of contemporary foragers who still eat kudu meat and mongongo nuts.
In conclusion, the hypothesis suggests that processed and agricultural diets reduce the stress on our jaws during adolescence, hindering full growth. By the time we reach adulthood, there might not be enough space left to accommodate our wisdom teeth. This idea is supported by studies comparing jaw size and wisdom tooth formation across different societies.
So what’s to be done if you are one of those individuals with wisdom tooth problems:
As has been established above, wisdom teeth don’t give you extra wisdom. They served a purpose long ago when our ancestors were hunter-gatheres and foragers. With the reduced size of contemporary human jaws, there often isn’t sufficient space for wisdom teeth to emerge properly. This lack of space can lead to issues like impaction, where the tooth doesn’t fully emerge from the gums, crowding of other teeth, or potential infection. In such cases, you might need to get them removed.
What to expect during and after wisdom tooth removal?
Prior to deciding on removal, your dentist will check for the health and position of the tooth. if extraction of the tooth is the option you need to go with, your dentist will discuss sedation dentistry options with you. depending on your requirement, they will suggest local anesthesia, nitrous oxide sedation combined with local anetshesia or general anesthesia.
Make sure you:
- Talk about any other health issues you have.
- Mention any drugs you might be taking on a regular basis.
- Ask about any other questions you have about the procedure.
The procedure will take about 45 minutes.
Post procedure:
There will be slight discomfort, swelling and bleeding. Follow the instructions your dentist gives you about the do’s and don’ts.
Postoperative pain varies from person to person. But many people have pain and swelling for 2-3 days.
If pain, bleeding or swelling gets worse again after four days, tell your surgeon. It might mean you have an infection. They can give you antibiotics to help.
