Q. My wisdom teeth haven’t come through yet, is there something wrong?

A. Wisdom teeth erupting tends to differ from person to person. Some people don’t get their wisdom teeth at all.

According to studies nearly 35 per cent of people do not have wisdom teeth and there are a few reasons why people may be missing them.

If they are impacted it means that they are there but haven’t come through yet.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth may never come through if there isn’t enough room for them to come out.

At times, not having wisdom teeth can also be related to genetic make-up. Some studies have found that human evolution may also have an impact.

The way the human brain has grown over time means there is no longer enough space in the head to fit a larger brain as well as the third molars.

We don’t use our third molars to chew food — only our first and second molars — which means some people are born without wisdom teeth.

If you’re one of these people lacking wisdom teeth then don’t worry as it’s not uncommon.

In fact, it’s probably a good thing that you have not got wisdom teeth as they don’t affect your ability to chew foods and you’re not as likely to have problems in the future.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises that wisdom teeth should only be removed if there’s a good reason to do so: If wisdom teeth have untreatable damage to nerves, tooth decay that can’t be repaired, abscesses, infections or pain due to impacted teeth.

* For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Bolton, email bolton@synergydental.org.uk or go to synergydental.org.uk/dentist-in-bolton