Are you passing through your teenage years right now? You can expect your wisdom teeth to pop up anytime soon if they haven’t yet. Usually, wisdom teeth occur during the age of 17 and above. It has turned out to be one of the most common dental problems people suffer from. In fewer cases, the eruption of wisdom tooth happens normally and causes no harm, but in most cases, an impacted wisdom tooth might lead to a removal of the tooth.

But impaction isn’t always the only reason for extraction. An infected wisdom tooth can also cause other problems which may land you in this common form of oral surgery.

Pericoronitis

Wisdom teeth are the four permanent teeth found at the back of the mouth; two on the top of each side and two down the same way. They are the last set of molars to erupt in your mouth. If there isn’t enough space in your mouth it may erupt partially, which may create a flap of gum tissue near the tooth that can trap food particles. Those food particles form plaque, which elevates into tartar and eventually an infection in the gum surrounding the wisdom tooth, later requiring a wisdom tooth extraction. Symptoms for Pericoronitis are:

• The foul smell or taste in your mouth
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Swollen and painful gums around the wisdom tooth
• Spasms in the jaw muscles

Treatment

There are ways to prevent advanced stages of Pericoronitis from occurring. There are two options; one would be to clean the gum and surrounding teeth with water and remove the food particles and pus and leave it as it is until the infection exceeds (which might lead to clearing the part of gum which might be a hurdle for the wisdom tooth eruption). Another option would be a removal of wisdom tooth. In both cases, it is recommended to see a dentist.

It is always recommended to clean and floss your teeth regularly with utmost care to avoid early dental problems. To learn more about wisdom tooth and for the treatment, call or visit our office to get an expert opinion.

‍