Erupted Tooth: Pericoronitis Symptoms and Treatment

Below is an excerpt from an article found on crest.com

What is Pericoronitis?

Since wisdom teeth come in during late adolescence, pericoronitis is a form of gum disease that usually affects those between the ages of twenty and forty. Often the wisdom teeth are not able to come out fully due to a lack of room in the mouth, leading to a partially erupted tooth. The partial tooth eruption then leads to inflammation and infection of the soft tissue which surrounds it. 

Symptoms of Pericoronitis

Symptoms often vary from one individual to the next and can occur chronically or acutely.

Those suffering from chronic or reoccurring pericoronitis may experience:

• Mild discomfort around the affected area
• Dull toothache
• Bad breath
• A foul taste in the mouth

Symptoms last for 1 to 2 days but continuously reappear without proper treatment. 

Acute pericoronitis is usually caused by poor oral hygiene. This is relatively common since the wisdom teeth, located toward the back of the mouth, can be difficult to clean with manual brushing alone. Symptoms may include:

• Pus discharge from affected area
• Pain when swallowing
• Extensive pain making it difficult to sleep
• Swelling of the face
• Swollen lymph nodes under the chin
• Fever

Acute pericoronitis symptoms usually last about three to four days. 

Treatment for Pericoronitis

The condition can be hard to treat due to the gum flap which has resulted from the partially erupted tooth. Often, the issue won’t go away completely until the tooth fully erupts from the gum line, or the tooth/soft tissue has been removed. 

For mild cases, a dentist may recommend the following treatments:

• Comprehensive cleaning
• Removing any food, debris, or residue trapped inside the gum flap
• Draining of the pus to reduce inflammation
• Rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash containing an antibacterial agent such as CPC (Cetyl-pyridinium chloride) or salt mixture 
• Antibiotics to manage the infection 

As with any form of gum disease, you should always follow a thorough oral care routine of brushing twice a day and flossing at least once. If your symptoms persist, see your dental professional right away. It is crucial to treat any sign of infection as soon as possible before it spreads to other areas of the mouth and jawline.

To read the entire article visit crest.com

Coloman E. Kondorossy, DMD, FAGD, DICOI   
Stephen K. Kondorossy, DMD, MBS  
General Dentists  
1445 Hamilton Street  
Somerset, NJ 08873   
(732) 249-0055   
SomersetImplantDental.com

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Wisdom teeth are the last molars on each side of the jaws. They are also the last teeth to emerge, or erupt, usually when a person is between 16 and 20.

Since wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to come in, or erupt, there is often not enough room left in your mouth to accommodate them. This can lead to wisdom teeth that are impacted, teeth that are trapped beneath the gum tissue by other teeth or bone. If teeth are impacted, swelling and tenderness may occur.

Wisdom teeth that only partially emerge or come in crooked can also lead to painful crowding and disease. Since teeth removed before age 20 have less developed roots and fewer complications, the American Dental Association recommends that people between 16 and 19 have their wisdom teeth evaluated to see if they need to be removed.

How are Wisdom Teeth Removed?

A tooth extraction is a relatively routine procedure. Your dentist or a dental specialist, called an oral surgeon, will recommend either "going to sleep" using general anesthesia, or numbing this area in your mouth with a local anesthesia such as Novocain®.

After the tooth (or teeth) is removed, you may be asked to bite down softly on a piece of gauze for 30 to 45 minutes after you leave the office, to limit any bleeding that may occur. Some pain and swelling may occur but it will normally go away after a few days; however, you should call your dentist if you have prolonged or severe pain, swelling, bleeding or fever.

Removal of wisdom teeth due to crowding or impaction should not affect your bite or oral health in the future.

Horizontal Impaction	Angular Impaction	Vertical Impaction

To read the entire article visit crest.com

Coloman E. Kondorossy, DMD, FAGD, DICOI   
Stephen K. Kondorossy, DMD, MBS  
General Dentists  
1445 Hamilton Street  
Somerset, NJ 08873   
(732) 249-0055   
SomersetImplantDental.com

Wisdom Teeth

Below is an article found on MouthHealthy.org.

With age comes wisdom. Specifically, wisdom teeth.

Your mouth goes through many changes in your lifetime. One major dental milestone that usually takes place between the ages of 17 and 21 is the appearance of your third molars. Historically, these teeth have been called wisdom teeth because they come through at a more mature age.

When they come through correctly, healthy wisdom teeth can help you chew. Itís normal to feel a little discomfort when your wisdom teeth appear, but if you have pain, see your dentist immediately.

Room to Grow?
Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if there isnít enough space for them to surface or they come through in the wrong position. If your dentist says your wisdom teeth are impacted, he or she means they are trapped in your jaw or under your gums.

As your wisdom teeth make their way through your gums, your dentist will be monitoring your mouth for signs of the following:

• Wisdom teeth that arenít in the right position can allow food to become trapped. That gives cavity-causing bacteria a place to grow.
• Wisdom teeth that havenít come in properly, which can make it difficult to floss between the wisdom teeth and the molars next to them.
• Wisdom teeth that have partially come through can give bacteria a place to enter the gums and create a place for infection to occur. This may also lead to pain, swelling and stiffness in your jaw.
• Wisdom teeth that donít have room to come through are thought by some to crowd or damage neighboring teeth.
• A wisdom tooth that is impacted can form a cyst on or near the impacted tooth. This could damage the roots of nearby teeth or destroy the bone that supports your teeth.

To read the entire article visit MouthHealthy.org.

The article also contains links about:

• Why You Might Need to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed
• Keeping Your Wisdom Teeth?

Coloman E. Kondorossy, DMD, FAGD, DICOI   
Stephen K. Kondorossy, DMD, MBS  
General Dentists  
1445 Hamilton Street  
Somerset, NJ 08873   
(732) 249-0055   
SomersetImplantDental.com