For most people, wisdom teeth are an annoying addition to the mouth that enter the picture sometime in their teenage years. Years ago, our ancestors likely needed this extra set of teeth because they were chewing on much harder foods, including raw meats, bones, possibly wood, nuts, and more.

Having this set of third molars was very helpful. In addition, human mouths were a lot bigger, likely because of the stimulation of the jaw from this type of chewing. This is why our ancient ancestors didn’t have problems with their wisdom teeth. The larger jaws had plenty of room for them, so they didn’t struggle with overcrowding.

So, while our jaws are smaller than before, we still have the teeth coming in, which causes a lot of problems. According to an analysis in 2016, around 80% of people in the UK have their wisdom teeth, and that number is even higher in the US.

In a large number of these cases, the teeth are removed as a preventative measure, and if they were left to develop normally, they could come in without any significant problems. In fact, a paper from 2007 suggests that only about 12% of people have a real need for having their wisdom teeth removed.

That being said, if people are having their wisdom teeth removed anyway, there is one significant benefit they could enjoy in the process. According to a 2013 paper:

“Studies have proved that adult third molar can be a rich source of dental pulp stem cells. These post-natal dental stem cells have the potential for self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation.”

Why is that important? The authors explain:

“Researchers have found the pulp of teeth to contain chondrocytes, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells. All of these cell types hold enormous potential for the therapeutic treatment of: Neuronal degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease; chronic heart conditions such as congestive heart failure and chronic ischemic heart disease; periodontal disease and to grow replacement teeth and bone.”

Stem cells can be very beneficial in being able to treat these and other conditions. If a patient is able to use their own stem cells, the treatment is likely to be more effective with less risk of any type of rejection or side effects.

Today, it is fairly easy and even affordable to have tissues stored for future use. Some parents do it with the umbilical cords of their babies (which also have lots of stem cells), and now a growing number of people are having their wisdom teeth (or just the stem cells) cryogenically frozen for future use.

While not everyone will need access to these stem cells, it is much better to have them and not need them than to need them and find that you did nothing but throw your wisdom teeth away.

That wouldn’t be wise at all.

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