Most of us have had our wisdom teeth removed at the dentist. But if they cause so much discomfort then why did people have them in the first place?
Besides humans, monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees also have wisdom teeth. A few million years ago, human ancestors had larger teeth and jaws than modern humans. So, somewhere 3-4 million years ago, a species called Australopithecus afarensis lived. Their teeth were larger and thicker than ours, and they also had strong chewing muscles.
Scientists believe that humans need stronger teeth and jaws because of the food they consume. These are plants, raw meat. Nowadays people’s food is much softer than before. Therefore, modern humans have smaller jaws and a flatter face.
Today, approximately 25% of people do not have at least one wisdom tooth. So it never occurred. Sometimes, due to lack of space, wisdom teeth can get stuck in the jawbone. As a result, they are only partially cut. In this case, people may experience problems such as pain, tooth decay and gingivitis, and therefore such teeth are eventually extracted.
News materials cannot be equated with a doctor’s prescription. Consult an expert before making a decision.
Source: Ferra
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
