Wisdom teeth are third molars that usually appear between the ages 16 and 24, although they may appear when older, younger, or may not appear at all. Most people have four of them, but it is possible to have more or fewer.
They are generally referred to as ‘wisdom’ teeth because they appear later than the other teeth, at an age where people are supposedly ‘wiser’. Turkish language refers directly to the age at which wisdom teeth appear and calls it 20 yaş dişi (20th year tooth). In Korean, its name is Sa-rang-nee (love teeth) referring to the young age and the pain of the first love. In Japanese, its name is Oyashirazu, literally meaning "unknown to the parents" from the idea that they erupt after a child has moved away from home.
But come to think of it, is “wisdom” age related? Is there a basis for calling 3rd molars “wisdom teeth”?
Wisdom, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as the ‘ability to discern inner qualities and relationships.’ Psychologists consider it as distinct from the cognitive abilities measured by standardized intelligence tests. Some regard it as a trait that can be developed by experience and not taught. Personality theorist Erik Erikson related wisdom to the last stage of his eight-stage theory of psychosocial development. His theory spans the entire lifespan and frames each stage in the form of internally generated questions or tensions. He claimed that in the last stage of human development, from approximately 65 years to death, individuals must resolve a psychological conflict between integrity and despair. He proposed that attaining wisdom is a favorable resolution and product of this conflict. Thus, with his theory, wisdom universally surfaces as an optimal potential outcome of the human experience in his lifetime. It is therefore in congruity with the idea of naming the 3rd molars ‘wisdom teeth’ because they erupt at an age where one has already sufficient experience to be wise.
On the other hand, some see wisdom as a quality that even a child, otherwise immature, may possess independent of experience or complete knowledge. Prophet Muhammad for Islam said “Wisdom is fearing God in your actions and intentions, and knowing that Almighty God is watching you wherever and whenever you are.” Similarly, in the Christian Bible, Proverbs 9:10 says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. “The beginning of fear of God is hating evil, the ways of evil, arrogance, pride and a duplicitous mouth.” Therefore, wisdom is not age-related. You become wise the moment you know what is right and wrong, differentiate good from evil, and fear God because you consider Him as your master. Thus, all our teeth may be considered ‘wisdom teeth’ , even the temporary ones, depending on us.
Whether you believe the former or the latter school of thought, the fact remains that wisdom teeth sometimes give headaches to dentists because they are hard to remove due to their variable positions and presentations. It takes ‘wisdom’ to extract them!
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