Understanding Gum Inflammation and Pericoronitis
Are Wisdom Teeth Causing Gum Inflammation?
Several oral problems can contribute to gum inflammation. One common cause is wisdom teeth beginning to erupt from the jaw. If you’re going through this stage of teething, your gums might have swelling, discomfort, and irritation. Understanding the causes and symptoms of gum inflammation can help you get the dental care you need and maximize your oral health.
How Do Wisdom Teeth Cause Gum Inflammation?
For many people who are getting their wisdom teeth in, the mouth has insufficient room for those teeth to break through without causing a problem. For example, wisdom teeth stuck below the gum line are considered “impacted.” Their inability to erupt can cause cysts and result in infections, both of which cause the gums to swell.
In some cases, the wisdom teeth may partially erupt, which can create a piece of loose gum tissue near the tooth. When this happens, pieces of food can become trapped, allowing bacteria to grow. Once the bacteria flourish beyond acceptable levels, what can result is pericoronitis, also known as wisdom teeth inflammation. Pericoronitis can also occur when a wisdom tooth has not even partially erupted.
Early Symptoms of Pericoronitis include:
- Swollen and painful gum tissue around the tooth, serious enough to cause discomfort when biting down
- Inflamed gum tissue caught between your teeth, resulting in further damage
- Halitosis (bad breath) or a bad taste in the mouth
- Discharge of pus from the area around the infected tooth
If you see discharge along with swelling, an infection is almost a certainty. In this case, you should get dental care from a family dentist in your neighborhood immediately.
Watch for these advanced signs of Pericoronitis:
- Swollen lymph nodes right under the chin
- Muscle spasms in the jaw
- Swelling on the side of the face
If you’ve experienced these symptoms with fever, nausea, or vomiting, your situation has progressed from a dental emergency to an actual one, which means you should seek medical care immediately to stop the infection from progressing further.
Treatment for Pericoronitis
Generally, the duration of pericoronitis is difficult to predict. For early-stage pericoronitis, your family dentist will typically recommend antibiotics along with warm saltwater rinses. If the wisdom tooth does not completely erupt, the problem will likely persist. In this case, your local family dentist will recommend a further course of treatment, such as wisdom teeth extraction.
Pericoronitis Prevention
Once you sense that a wisdom tooth is starting to come through, you can prevent pericoronitis by brushing and flossing around the emerging tooth. The objective is to prevent bacteria from building up in the affected area. Wisdom tooth molars are far back in your mouth and hard to reach when brushing and flossing, so you need to pay them special attention.
If, despite your best efforts, you detect any inflammation in your gums, it’s best to visit your dentist for a full examination. Whenever wisdom teeth cause a problem, it’s important to get them extracted as soon as possible before they threaten the health of your other teeth and jaw.
Treating Pericoronitis with Family Dentistry in Cincinnati
Treatment for pericoronitis can be tricky because the gum irritation will not go away until the wisdom tooth fully emerges. However, you don’t have to just suffer in silence waiting for your wisdom teeth to come in on their own. Your dentist can examine the area and then decide upon the best course of action.
Teething is not a fun time, no matter the age when it occurs. You can expect some minimal pain and inflammation, but it’s always a good idea to see your dentist, even if you don’t suspect inflammation or infection.
If your wisdom teeth continue to create problems, you have recurrent pericoronitis, or the wisdom teeth are impacted or pushing against your other teeth, your dentist will recommend a wisdom tooth extraction. Typically, the best way to prevent pericoronitis is not to have wisdom teeth that can get infected in the first place.
Inflammation Not Tied to Wisdom Teeth
If any area of your gums is red and swollen, you may have inflammation in another area of your mouth. Many other kinds of infections also present gum inflammation as a symptom. Don’t ignore these signs just because they don’t appear near your wisdom teeth. In most cases, proper dental care that starts as early as possible can significantly reduce the risk of damage to your teeth and oral health.
If you have questions about gum inflammation due to erupting wisdom teeth, your dentist at Beckham Square Family Dental can alleviate your fears and recommend an appropriate course of treatment. Contact our Cincinnati dental office for any questions you may have or schedule an appointment online.