Most people have to have their wisdom teeth removed at some point in their lives. Since they are removed so regularly, why do we even have them? Keep reading to find out why we have wisdom teeth.
At one point in time during our evolution, wisdom teeth were useful. During these times, our diet was very course, consisting of foods like raw meat, leaves, roots, and nuts, which required wisdom to be able to eat.
As we have evolved, a lot has changed. We have a refined diet because we have developed the tools needed to cook and cut food, and our brains are larger, making our jaws smaller. Even with these changes, wisdom teeth are still developing, but there is no room in the jaw for the wisdom teeth to be functional. Because of this, most people have to go through a routine surgical procedure to remove their teeth.
There is research being done to prevent the development of wisdom teeth which would avoid removal surgery.
To learn more about why we have wisdom teeth, watch the video above!
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