Wisdom teeth grow much later than the rest of your permanent teeth, erupting first at the age of 12 to 15 and fully developing by the age of 20. The moment you notice the first growth of your wisdom teeth, you have to visit your dentist to have it examined. An x-ray scan will show whether it’s growing the right way or if it could be a potential problem in the future, like if it’s slanted or growing the wrong way. In this case, the wrong way means hitting the base of the next tooth (your second molar), and potentially damaging your good teeth.

Having a toothache or a gum disease should not be the only reason why you should visit your dentist. It has to be for some preventive measure. As with most things in your life, it should be something that you can avoid and not have to suffer through then treat.

Most dentists would recommend wisdom tooth extraction, particularly when they find that it has an irregular growth pattern. There is a misconception that dentists recommend unnecessary procedures to make a buck, aggravated by certain entities promoting their own so-called, non-intrusive painless procedures (possibly by recommending that you drink a certain kind of herbal solution or some other voodoo that’s equally worthless).

Dentists are you friends and they can save you from further pain and future mouth problems. It may not always be roses and daisies, but they get the job done, and they get it done correctly.