Pericoronitis: Meaning, Diagnosis and Overview

What is Pericoronitis?

Pericoronitis is a dental disorder in which the gum tissue around the molar teeth, or any erupting tooth, becomes swollen and infected. This disorder usually occurs as a result of wisdom teeth, the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties.
When a persons wisdom teeth become impacted or just start to protrude through the gums, it can create a flap of gum tissue that easily holds food particles and debris and is a hotbed for germs which results in infection.

Recovery Time

The condition usually gets better in approximately one week with proper management and treatment. However, if the partially erupted tooth fails to completely enter the mouth and food debris and germs continue to accumulate under the flap of gums, pericoronitis will more than likely return.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is done by physical examination of the swollen gums and sometimes x-ray may be suggested.

FAQs prepared by doctor

1. What is Pericoronitis?
Pericoronitis is a dental disorder in which the gum tissue around the molar teeth, or any erupting tooth, becomes swollen and infected.
 
2. What are its symptoms?
There happens acute Pain, Swelling in the gum tissue, Infection, bad smell or taste in the mouth, discharge of pus from the gum near the tooth. Other symptoms associated are swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, difficulty opening the mouth with raised temperature and feeling generally unwell.

3. What are its causes?
It is a bacterial infection that can be brought on or made worse by bits of food-getting trapped and packed underneath the gum over the wisdom tooth and then festering. There can be trauma from the opposing wisdom tooth biting down on top of it or bad hygiene in that area. Stress or other mouth and throat infections are other causes which causes pericoronitis.

4. How does this disease happen?
This disorder usually occurs as a result of wisdom teeth, the third and final set of molars that most people get in their late teens or early twenties.
When a persons wisdom teeth become impacted or just start to protrude through the gums, it can create a flap of gum tissue that easily holds food particles and debris and is a hotbed for germs which results in infection.

5. What to do when one is suffering from such disease?
One shall rinse the mouth with half teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water, this reduces the pain. Rub an ice cube rolled up in a towel gently over the cheek near the site of impacted tooth for about 5min. Maintain good oral hygiene.

6. When shall one consult a doctor?
One shall consult a doctor if one experiences symptom like swollen and painful tooth, jaw, and cheek, difficulty in opening the jaw or bad smell from the mouth or any kind of Discharge or pus from the gums.