Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis is a dental condition where the gum tissues which surrounds your molar teeth develops an infection and swells. In most cases Pericoronitis usually affects wisdom teeth, the final set of molars which the majority of people develop in the early twenties or late teens. Many people have problems with the alignment of wisdom teeth and several problems can develop due to this misalignment. In some cases your wisdom teeth can sometimes become trapped with in the jawbone or soft tissue or they may only break partially through, these are known as 'impacted' teeth.

What are the causes of Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis develops due to wisdom teeth not fully erupting into your mouth. This provides an opening for infection as it allows bacteria to enter your tooth. In some cases the condition can cause plaque or food debris to get caught under a gum flap where it can irritate the gum tissue and cause Pericoronitis. In the most severe cases the infection and swelling can spread beyond the mouth into the cheeks, neck and jaw. Most patients with experience several symptoms including; infection, pain, difficulty opening the mouth, a bad taste caused by pus leaking from the infected area and swelling of the lymph nodes.

Diagnosisng and treating Pericoronitis

In order to diagnose you with Pericoronitis your dentist will need to examine your wisdom teeth to see how they are developing. If any partially erupted teeth are spotted then several X-rays may be taken over a period to check the alignment of the teeth. It's also typical for your dentist to check for any signs of a gum flap and examine you for any symptoms of infection or swelling.

If the pain and swelling haven't spread beyond the tooth, Pericoronitis can be easily treated by rinsing out the mouth with warm salt water. It's also important to ensure that your gum flap hasn't got any food trapped beneath it. If any swelling and pain has spread into the cheek or jaw then it's vital that you see your dentist as soon as possible. In cases like this it's usual to be prescribed antibiotics to help manage the infection. Any pain can usually be managed by over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin but in severe cases your dentist may prescribe you some stronger pain medication. In the most severe cases of Pericoronitis or in cases where the condition is recurring, it may be necessary for you to undergo oral surgery to have the offending tooth or gum flap removed.