We are all familiar with the fact that a person has a wisdom tooth called by the people. Why is that called? Probably, every person at least once in his life thought about this issue. Today, the topic of our article will be wisdom teeth. We learn not only where they get their name from, but also talk about their features.
What are wisdom teeth called in dentistry?
Those units that we used to call nothing more than the teeth of wisdom, dentists call the upper and lower third molars. These molars are located at the back of the alveolar process. Third molars are found in most mammals. They are used for grinding food. An adult patient usually has twelve molars (three in each group). These units are often much larger than premolars. They also have a larger surface area. By nature, this factor was provided so that people could grind hard and solid foods. Further, we will discuss why the wisdom tooth is so called. A photo of the image is presented below. After all, not all patients have their third molars.
Tooth of wisdom: why is it called that?
There is no definite answer to this question. But there are several assumptions that we will talk about. Why is the wisdom tooth called by this name and by whom is this name given? Dentists suggest that the answers lie in the late teething of these units. A man has 32 teeth, 4 of which are the third molars. They appear much later than the rest of the units on the jaw arch. As a rule, this occurs at the age of 15–27 years. Sometimes teething happens later. One of the main theories is the assumption that our ancestors needed extra teeth to chew solid food. That is why, already in adulthood, they developed additional molars.
As for our contemporaries, many of them do not have these teeth at all. Researchers suggest that the appearance of third molars can be called the long-awaited reaction of the body to the need to grind tougher foods in adulthood. This is just one of the existing theories about the wisdom tooth. Why is this molar so named? Dentists believe that they called these units so popularly. And the appearance of the name is associated with age. Indeed, at the time of the eruption of third molars, a person already has a certain life experience, he can be called wise.
The relevance of wisdom teeth today is in question
We have already said that in some patients, third molars do not erupt at all. Or, one or two units of the four teeth planned by nature appear. If during the course of a life the wisdom teeth have not erupted, it only means that no rudiments have been formed. Modern scientists believe that wisdom teeth are irrelevant today. After all, humanity has long passed to soft food. Modern technologies (fork, spoon, knife) helped minimize the need for additional molars. Some biologists and doctors classify wisdom teeth as parts of the body or organs that have become nonfunctional due to evolution.
Complications of the eruption of third molars
It is extremely rare for a patient to have a wisdom tooth painlessly. Why is it called that? We will talk more about this. And now we will consider several options for the eruption of third molars in humans.
In the best case, the tooth has the correct location on the jaw arch. This only happens if he has enough space in order to form correctly. Then it erupts without any particular complications. The only discomfort for a person may be periodic aching pain.
Sometimes the third molar does not cut through to the end. At the same time, it interferes with the surrounding units. As a rule, this leads to an inflammatory process and pain.
It also happens that wisdom teeth are cut for a very long time. In this case, inflammation becomes permanent. The process is accompanied by fever and severe pain. This scenario is dangerous complications.
In some cases, a third molar has formed, but has not erupted at all. But at the same time, it can still be dangerous. Such a tooth is able to provoke damage to the roots of neighboring units, to hurt their nerves. In this case, most likely, surgical intervention will be necessary.
Another theory of the origin of the name of the teeth of wisdom
We deliberately examined possible complications associated with the appearance of third molars. Moreover, the location of the units makes them often inaccessible to the toothbrush. And we all know that insufficient oral hygiene leads to the development of caries. What turns out? In the modern world, wisdom teeth only bring harm, having lost their functionality? But can there really be something superfluous, unnecessary in nature?
There are scientific studies proving the connection of physical matter with the human psyche. There is a theory that teeth in the human body can symbolize decisiveness. Psychologists have concluded that it is not in vain that some people experience difficulties when a wisdom tooth appears. Why is this unit called so, we will now consider another theory. Scientists have found that a person who does not take a place in the consciousness to form the foundation of his life, delays the eruption of additional units on the jaw arch. It is assumed that the word "wisdom" in the name of the teeth by our ancestors was implied in a different context. The psychophysical connection shows that if a person by a certain age is endowed with wisdom enough to see his life's path, to understand the meaning of life, to decisively carry out his plans, then there should be no problems with wisdom teeth. Simply put, the presence of third molars may indicate the extent to which their owner is wise.
Instead of a conclusion
From all it is clear that not every modern person has a wisdom tooth. Why is this unit called? We examined several interesting theories that explain the name of the third molars. In conclusion, I would like to note that experts recommend that each person carefully monitor oral hygiene and visit the dentist regularly. Then there will be less tooth problems.