why do we have wisdom teeth?

Question

do we need them?

Answer 1

Why do we have wisdom teeth?
Adults can have up to 32 teeth. The wisdom teeth are the last to come through, right at the back. They usually appear when you are between 17 and 25. Although sometimes they appear many years later.

Nowadays people often have jaws that are too small for all 32 teeth – 28 is often the most we have room for. So if all the other teeth are present and healthy there may not be enough space for the wisdom teeth to come through properly.
http://www.dentalhealth.org.uk/faqs/leafletdetail.php?LeafletID=43
hope this helps :)

Answer 2

We don't really need them in this modern world. In evolution the human jaw of the past was much larger and the teeth were larger too. As the human brain grew bigger, the skull grew larger and the jaw became smaller....so nowadays some of us have too many teeth for our jaw size.
The abrasive diet of seeds and grain in those days needed many molar teeth to grind down the food for digestion. In modern times we eat a softer diet...however the wisdom teeth are still functional and are only extracted if problems occur.
Well....at least we have larger brains! Wish more people would use them to eat a healthier diet - like our ancestors...then we wouldn't have so much tooth decay - ironic!

Answer 3

It's an evolution thing. The wishdom teeth were actually very important , because the people needed to chew really hard things like cereals and dried meat....
Today our food is mostly very soft , and we don't need to chew a lot anymore.

These teeth are useless nowadays.

Answer 4

I dont know why we have wisdom teeth, but im 19 and mine are just growing out! :'(

Answer 5

For eating with what else you think your teeth are for?

You don't think they actually give you wisdom do you?

Answer 6

I would guess because they are the only theeth that grow in at a mature age, or age of some kind of wisdom.

Answer 7

To be a giant pain in the a** so dentists can make money is the only thing I can figure.

I'm sure there is a logical reason for them but......

Answer 8

mine are coming through and are agony! my little girl is also teething so i think i was given them so i know what pain my daughter is in!
i dont think they are used for much as most people i know has had them removed!

Answer 9

if you believe in evolution, they are considered to be a throwback to when we lived a more rugged lifestyle. they are molars, and as such it is likely they were meant to chew on plant material and tough meats. we don't need them now and in fact some people need them removed.

Answer 10

were human! we have oppossable thumbs, large brains, and mouths that have wisdom teeth.