Students use extended vacation to lose wisdom teeth

For most students, winter break means a break from studying and stress. Most, but not all.

Many take this opportunity to get their wisdom teeth extracted, a procedure that has many students saying goodbye to solid food and hello to painkillers.

According to Dr. Chris Yurk, a dentist in CSU’s Hartshorn Health Services, winter break is an ideal time for students to get their wisdom teeth extracted because of the additional time it could take to heal if there were any complications.

Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that people obtain either in their teens or early twenties. And while some have large enough mouths to accommodate them, others aren’t so lucky, which is why recovery time isn’t a set amount of days.

“If the proper care is not taken, many times decay or periodontal disease will result around a retained poorly situated third molar,” Yurk said.

“Simple extractions happen typically in mouths which can open widely enough to allow easy access for the surgeon,” he added. “Difficult extractions can be caused by insufficient opening to allow access; anxious or nervous patients and curved or tenacious root structures.”

Sophomore history major Nick Divine said he’s one of the students who plans on using this break to rest up and recover from a wisdom teeth extraction procedure.

“I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I plan on watching all of them while eating mashed potatoes and Jell-O,” Divine said.

While the surgery is an important part of the process, post-surgery recovery time is an important aspect as well.

Patients are usually asked to avoid drinking alcohol, eating hot or spicy foods and hard, tough or acidic foods, but consult your doctor for specific guidelines.

Collegian writer Moonier Said can be reached at news@collegian.com.