Do you suspect you may have an infected wisdom tooth? If your gum tissue is swollen and infected around a wisdom tooth, then it’s important to visit your dentist as soon as you can for diagnosis and to discuss your treatment options.
The medical term for inflammation which occurs around a third molar is known as pericoronitis. It occurs when there’s insufficient room in a person’s mouth for the wisdom teeth to erupt through the gums. As a result, the molar tooth or teeth may only come part of the way through the gums, resulting in inflammation and infection of the soft tissue surrounding the wisdom tooth.
When wisdom teeth only partially erupt, it’s common for gum flaps to develop. These flaps act like magnets attracting and trapping particles of food and bacteria, which build up and cause infection.
Quick facts on pericoronitis
- Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to come through in late adolescence
- Pericoronitis can be short term, referred to as ‘acute’, or long-term, referred to as ‘chronic’.
- Pericoronitis typically develops when a person is over the age of 20 and below the age of 40
Signs of an infected wisdom tooth
The symptoms of an infected wisdom tooth vary from one person to another and depend upon the severity of the condition.
Chronic symptoms may include:
- Swollen gum in the affected area
- Mild discomfort
- Dull pain
- Bad taste in the mouth
As a rule, chronic symptoms only last for one or two days but can recur over a period of several months.
On the contrary, acute symptoms can last for three or four days and may include:
- Swelling on the affected side of the face
- Pain when swallowing
- Severe pain which may keep you awake at night
- Swollen lymph nodes under the chin
- Discharge of pus
- Fever
So, who can get pericoronitis?
Research has shown that at least 96% of the world’s population has a third molar and up to 36% of young people may have an impacted third molar with the majority of those affected being between the ages of 20-29. Furthermore, men and women of equal numbers develop pericoronitis.
Common causes and conditions associated with infected wisdom teeth include:
- Poor oral hygiene – which commonly causes acute pericoronitis
- Pregnancy
- Stress
- Upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus
How is an infected wisdom tooth diagnosed?
At No Gaps Dental, our dentists diagnose pericoronitis by carefully examining your wisdom teeth and checking for visual signs and symptoms of pericoronitis. In general, this means checking whether the gums are inflamed, red or swollen, or leaking pus. They will also look to see if a gum flap is present in the area.
They may also take an X-ray to determine the alignment of the wisdom teeth and to rule out other possible causes for your discomfort such as tooth decay.
Once our dentists have diagnosed pericoronitis, a treatment plan will be tailored to your individual needs.
An infected wisdom tooth can be difficult to treat if there is a gum flap present since the problem won’t go away until the tooth breaks through or the tissue or tooth is removed.
Infected wisdom tooth pain relief
If the symptoms are limited just to the tooth, i.e. the pain and swelling hasn’t spread to other areas, our dentist may treat the condition by
- Cleaning the area thoroughly
- Draining any pus
- Removing any food debris
Should there be an infection then a course of antibiotics will be prescribed, and the dentist may advise you to take over the counter painkillers to reduce the swelling and manage any discomfort.
If the inflammation and pain are severe, or if the condition recurs, our dentist may recommend oral surgery to remove either the gum flap or the wisdom tooth.
It’s of vital importance that the pericoronitis is treated quickly to prevent the infection from spreading and to lower the risk of any complications arising.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of an infected wisdom tooth should contact their dentist right away. If you realise that your wisdom teeth are coming through and there seem to be no problems, it’s still advisable to visit your dentist so that they can monitor your progress.
Home remedies
If you’re suffering from a minor case of pericoronitis, you can try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water and cleaning the area gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush to remove food debris and plaque. However, if there is no improvement after five days, then make an appointment to visit your dentist.
Possible complications
Without wishing to alarm you, we should mention that problems can arise with pericoronitis although in most cases any these are normally the result of failure to treat the condition properly.
On occasions, the infection can spread to other areas causing swelling and discomfort in other parts of the head and neck.
Another complication can be that a person finds it difficult to open their mouth or bite down.
If the condition is not treated, then there is a possibility of sepsis, where the infection enters the bloodstream, and this can be life-threatening.
How to prevent an infected wisdom tooth
People can take certain steps to lower the risk of developing pericoronitis which include:
- Practising good oral hygiene
- Paying regular visits to the dentist
- Acting promptly by arranging an appointment with the dentist if there are concerns of pericoronitis developing
The takeaway
The good news is there are no long-term effects associated with pericoronitis. Once the wisdom tooth erupts fully or is extracted, then pericoronitis will not recur in that area.
If a wisdom tooth has to be removed, a patient usually makes a full recovery within a couple of weeks. It’s important to follow all aftercare instructions to the letter and to contact the dentist should you experience bleeding, fever, or throbbing pain.
If you’re experiencing problems with your wisdom teeth or would like an oral evaluation to assess whether your wisdom teeth are erupting normally, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experienced dentists at No Gaps Dental. Book an appointment today.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.