Pericoronitis
Pericoronitis is referred to the inflammation, infection or swelling of the gum around your wisdom tooth(molar). Pericoronitis is more common in the lower molar than in the upper molar. Pericoronitis is the condition that happens when the wisdom tooth has partially erupted, where the soft tissue surrounding the partially erupted tooth crown overlaps and becomes inflamed. This partial eruption leads the way for bacteria to deposit and spread, thus causing inflammation. If left unnoticed, the infection may further spread and cause a severe toothache. In worse conditions, you may also suffer from fever, headache and pain in the jaw. Pericoronitis is common in people of all age groups developing wisdom teeth, primarily in their twenties.
Types of Pericoronitis
The symptoms make the difference between chronic Pericoronitis and acute Pericoronitis. Chronic Pericoronitis is the condition where your operculum (the soft tissue that is over the molar) is prone to mind inflammation or infection, leading to fewer or no symptoms. If untreated, it can develop into acute Pericoronitis. Acute Pericoronitis is the condition in which you will notice the following symptoms: severe pain, fever, and swelling, indicating the spread of infection, and you overlook it.
What are the Symptoms of Pericoronitis?
Understanding pericoronitis symptoms early can prevent major complications. These complications can include high fever, fatigue, pus drainage, and even abscess formation. Recognising wisdom tooth pain symptoms, such as radiating pain to the ear or neck, is a sign that infection may be worsening.
Other symptoms of Pericoronitis are as follows
- Tooth pain
- Swelling of the gum
- Facial swelling
- Pain with eating
- Headache
- Bad breath
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty opening the mouth
What is the cause of Pericoronitis?
The leading cause is that the partially impacted wisdom tooth gives space to bacterial infection and inflammation. Other causes of Pericoronitis are as follows:
- A wisdom tooth that hasn’t grown properly
- Lack of proper oral hygiene
- Extra gum tissues
- Stress
Pericoronitis is a common dental disorder that occurs when a wisdom tooth partially erupts and becomes surrounded by inflamed soft tissue. This can create a flap or pocket that traps food particles and bacteria, resulting in infection. One of the primary complications associated with a wisdom tooth infection is pericoronitis. If not treated properly, it can result in significant discomfort and serious infection.
Additionally, pericoronitis can cause difficulty swallowing and swollen lymph nodes around the jaw and neck. These are early signs that the infection is beginning to spread beyond the affected tooth. Individuals who experience jaw stiffness along with a bad taste in their mouth need to be assessed for infected wisdom tooth symptoms immediately.
How is Pericoronitis diagnosed?
You have to consult the doctor. Based on the visible symptoms and thorough clinical examination, it is possible to diagnose Pericoronitis. Your doctor will provide suitable treatment after diagnosis. An X-ray will do; it gives a clear picture of the position of your wisdom tooth, and it is easy to provide the correct treatment. If the condition is worse, you might need to undergo surgery. Make sure that you have the surgery done by a licensed dentist.
Treatment of Pericoronitis
Pericoronitis treatment is necessary to treat Pericoronitis. Considering the severity and symptoms of Pericoronitis, your dentist will decide on the better treatments. The following are the three ways to treat pericoronitis: If your pericoronitis severity is at the starting stage, your dentist will resolve and manage the inflammation. In the second treatment, you have to undergo a minor oral surgery to treat Pericoronitis. The third treatment is where you will be asked to remove the tooth. Some home treatments can come in handy to relieve your pain. Besides using painkillers or relievers, Healthy and proper oral hygiene can prevent Pericoronitis. By rinsing your mouth with warm salt water, you can reduce your pain for the time being.
In certain cases, pericoronitis causes halitosis (bad breath) and a persistent metallic taste, even after brushing. This is typically caused by pus accumulation around the affected area. It is crucial to differentiate between general wisdom tooth pain and a developing wisdom tooth infection, as the latter often presents pus discharge, redness around the gums, and difficulty opening the mouth. These are the infected wisdom tooth symptoms that should never be overlooked.
Maintaining regular brushing and flossing habits is essential, but poor oral posture, such as pushing the tongue against the back teeth very frequently, can also irritate the operculum, making it
more vulnerable to bacteria. Therefore, it is important to manage both mechanical irritation and hygiene to prevent pericoronitis. Additional pericoronitis causes include weakened immunity, hormonal changes (especially during pregnancy), and even crowded teeth that push against the wisdom tooth, creating additional friction.
As for pericoronitis treatment, your dentist might suggest irrigation with antimicrobial solutions such as chlorhexidine. In cases where the condition persists, experts may prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics only control the infection—they don’t eliminate the root cause. This is where pericoronitis removal procedures come in.
There are two main options for pericoronitis removal.
- Operculectomy: In this procedure, the flap of gum covering the wisdom tooth is surgically removed. This lessens the chance of food and bacteria becoming trapped again.
- Wisdom tooth extraction: This option is considered, especially when the tooth has no space to erupt properly. Dentists recommend this route when wisdom tooth pain symptoms persist despite treatment.
Complications of Pericoronitis
If the symptoms are untreated, the severity of Pericoronitis would be worse. The major complication would be the swelling of the operculum, the tissue surrounding the wisdom tooth. In the worst case condition, the infection would spread all over your mouth, leading the way to more complications. If the symptoms and pain are being unnoticed continually, you may suffer from life-threatening diseases.
Prevention of Pericoronitis
In any case, prevention is better than treatment; Pericoronitis is preventable if you follow proper oral hygiene. It is advisable to rinse your mount with mouthwash before bedtime and consider brushing twice a day. Consider having a consultation with a dentist twice a year. This would help maintain your oral health and keep it on track. The constant oral health check also keeps you alarmed about oral-related problems.
Conclusion
Pericoronitis treatment is required if the severity of Pericoronitis is high in rate. Oral health is no less important; you are likely prone to many oral diseases. Automatically, this impacts the intake of food that offers strength to your body to function correctly. It only takes simple measures to keep yourself hygienic to protect yourself and prevent serious health hazards.
