Don’t be bothered by the big name. Chances are high that the pain you are having right now might be as a result of pericoronitis. This condition is worthy of being discussed because of its potential to spread to other parts of the head and neck and it can be life-threatening.

Do you experience bad taste from the gum surrounding your wisdom tooth/teeth?

Do you experience continuous pain from around your wisdom tooth/teeth. Read on to learn more about this common dental condition.

Pericoronitis is simply the inflammation of the gum tissue around the crown of a tooth, usually the wisdom tooth. it occurs when the wisdom tooth is not fully erupted through the gum.

CLASSIFICATION

Generally, pericoronitis can be classified as Chronic and Acute.

In chronic cases, it is long-standing with mild pain. In some patients, there may be no symptoms.

In acute cases, pain is severe with associated fever, swelling and limitation in mouth opening.

CAUSES

It occurs when food or plaque gets stuck beneath the gum sorrounding the tooth. This, in turn, leads to irritation due to bacterial action. The irritation is further aggravated by mastication from the upper tooth. The infection can be so severe that it can spread to the neck, chest, cheeks.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Pain can be mild initially and radiate to other parts of the oral cavity like the ear, throat, floor of the mouth, the joints and the posterior part of the lower jaw. As the condition worsens, the pain can become severe, disturbing sleep and making it difficult to chew.
Loss of appetite
There’s a sensation of bad taste in the mouth due to the leaking of pus from the gums.
The lymph nodes are enlarged and may be tender.
Fever
There can be difficulty in mouth opening and swallowing
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
The gum will appear swollen. Gum appears red and tender.
MANAGEMENT

Homemade remedy involves the use of warm water and salt to gargle, this reduces the infection and may be enough in mild cases.

In a mild to moderate cases, the dentist will prescribe drugs to reduce the pain. In severe cases, characterize by severe pain, limitation in mouth opening, painful swallowing, it is strongly advised you visit your dentist immediately without further delay.

Your dentist would have to take a radiograph to know the orientation of the wisdom tooth causing the pain.

After due assessment, your dentist may recommend surgical extraction of the tooth.

https://dentalgist.ng/pericoronitis-what-you-should-know

cc:
dominique
lalasticlala

Educative

How common is this infection cos I rarely hear people complain about it. Also, @Dentalgist, are you a dentist as well? Or a dental blogger? All the same, you're are good at your endeavour.

Davoneskay:
How common is this infection cos I rarely hear people complain about it. Also, @Dentalgist, are you a dentist as well? Or a dental blogger? All the same, you're are good at your endeavour.

Fairly common. I am a dentist.
Thank you sir.

Dentalgist:
Don’t be bothered by the big name. Chances are high that the pain you are having right now might be as a result of pericoronitis. This condition is worthy of being discussed because of its potential to spread to other parts of the head and neck and it can be life-threatening.

Do you experience bad taste from the gum surrounding your wisdom tooth/teeth?

Do you experience continuous pain from around your wisdom tooth/teeth. Read on to learn more about this common dental condition.

Pericoronitis is simply the inflammation of the gum tissue around the crown of a tooth, usually the wisdom tooth. it occurs when the wisdom tooth is not fully erupted through the gum.

CLASSIFICATION

Generally, pericoronitis can be classified as Chronic and Acute.

In chronic cases, it is long-standing with mild pain. In some patients, there may be no symptoms.

In acute cases, pain is severe with associated fever, swelling and limitation in mouth opening.

CAUSES

It occurs when food or plaque gets stuck beneath the gum sorrounding the tooth. This, in turn, leads to irritation due to bacterial action. The irritation is further aggravated by mastication from the upper tooth. The infection can be so severe that it can spread to the neck, chest, cheeks.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Pain can be mild initially and radiate to other parts of the oral cavity like the ear, throat, floor of the mouth, the joints and the posterior part of the lower jaw. As the condition worsens, the pain can become severe, disturbing sleep and making it difficult to chew.
Loss of appetite
There’s a sensation of bad taste in the mouth due to the leaking of pus from the gums.
The lymph nodes are enlarged and may be tender.
Fever
There can be difficulty in mouth opening and swallowing
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
The gum will appear swollen. Gum appears red and tender.
MANAGEMENT

Homemade remedy involves the use of warm water and salt to gargle, this reduces the infection and may be enough in mild cases.

In a mild to moderate cases, the dentist will prescribe drugs to reduce the pain. In severe cases, characterize by severe pain, limitation in mouth opening, painful swallowing, it is strongly advised you visit your dentist immediately without further delay.

Your dentist would have to take a radiograph to know the orientation of the wisdom tooth causing the pain.

After due assessment, your dentist may recommend surgical extraction of the tooth.

https://dentalgist.ng/pericoronitis-what-you-should-know

cc:
dominique
lalasticlala

Exactly what I needed

I having being facing this issue for a very long time now, but I don't feel any pains just that bad taste from the gum, like there is a pus

No pains, no swells

Someone told me to use hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, I don't know how effective it might be

Martins6545:


Exactly what I needed

I having being facing this issue for a very long time now, but I don't feel any pains just that bad taste from the gum, like there is a pus

No pains, no swells

Someone told me to use hydrogen peroxide on the affected area, I don't know how effective it might be

Kindly visit your dentist for a permanent solution. Hydrogen peroxide or warm water and salt won't permanently stop the recurrent infection.

Dentalgist:

Kindly visit your dentist for a permanent solution. Hydrogen peroxide or warm water and salt won't permanently stop the recurrent infection.

Alright, thank you

Martins6545:


Alright, thank you

You are welcome

@dentalgist, I'm expecting your posts concerning: tonsils inflammation, mistakes our mothers made during pregnancy which in turn affected the unborn child's dental health, etc.
Also, I had a friend in high school who had some 'funny' lines like stretch marks all over his tongues. What could that be?
Lastly, I've tried severally to wash my tongue with toothpaste. But the whitish stuffs...maybe na plaques still remain. Any recommended toothpaste?

Davoneskay:
@dentalgist, I'm expecting your posts concerning: tonsils inflammation, mistakes our mothers made during pregnancy which in turn affected the unborn child's dental health, etc.
Also, I had a friend in high school who had some 'funny' lines like stretch marks all over his tongues. What could that be?
Lastly, I've tried severally to wash my tongue with toothpaste. But the whitish stuffs...maybe na plaques still remain. Any recommended toothpaste?

. What your friend had is referred to as fissured tongue, characterize by appearance of deep cracks on the tongue surface. It is usually asymptomatic with unknown cause, though you can't rule out hereditary factor. It can also occur in people with down syndrome and some other uncommon syndromes.

You need not bother about the whitish appearance of your tongue, for some, the tongue is hairy which gives a characteristic whitish appearance. No toothpaste would remove it.
You may want to visit your dentist to check it and gives you more reassurance.

I love what you're doing on Nairaland. Keep it up Doc.

May I please add that, in a tooth (wisdom) that is impacted (e.g mesioangular, distoangular etc) after evidence by a radiograph that further eruption won't be feasible, a Surgical extraction is done.

However, when the radiograph shows proper orientation and incomplete eruption, a periodontal surgery procedure is performed, called Operculectomy (distal-wedge technique), with curettage and proper oral hygiene instructions (including warm saline mouth rinse). Patient is then placed on antibiotics.

Dentalgist:

Fairly common. I am a dentist.
Thank you sir.

Please sir, I am having swell in my upper gum and pain in that particular tooth.

My front tooth

Vipro:
Please sir, I am having swell in my upper gum and pain in that particular tooth.

My front tooth

Good day sir/ma, you can visit a dentist closer to you for a better assessment. It must have been as a result of a trauma to the teeth or there's a decay. Whichever one it is, something needs to be done to take care of the swelling and pain. Hope this helps