07/07/2025
Recent research shows that more babies are being born without wisdom teeth and even with fewer than the usual 32 teeth. This isn't a defect; it's a reflection of evolution adapting to modern lifestyles. Our jaws are shrinking due to softer modern diets that involve less raw meat, roots, or hard chewing. As a result, our jaws no longer develop as broadly or robustly as they used to, leaving no space for wisdom teeth to erupt. Nature is gradually "editing them out."
The need for extra molars has also diminished. In ancient times, humans relied on wisdom teeth to help grind tough, raw food. Today, with advancements in cooking and food processing, these third molars have become functionally unnecessary. A genetic shift is clearly underway. A 2020 Australian study found a growing number of people being born without some molars or wisdom teeth entirely — an indication of an ongoing evolutionary trend.
This phenomenon is known as “microevolution,” which refers to small, generational changes in human anatomy. Just like how some people are now being born with extra arteries or fewer toes, it demonstrates how our biology is constantly adapting. If this trend continues, future generations may no longer develop wisdom teeth at all, or they'll become extremely rare. The problem of impacted wisdom teeth, which often requires extraction today, could become a thing of the past.
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