What is pericoronitis?
Pericoronitis is an inflammation of the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth. Treatment of pericoronitis is necessary because it causes a number of serious complications.
Symptoms of acute pericoronitis include:
- Fever;
- Severe pain in the back teeth;
- Redness and swelling of the gum tissue;
- Pus;
- Discomfort when swallowing;
- Trismus;
- Swollen lymph nodes.
Symptoms of chronic pericoronitis include:
- Mild, temporary pain in the back teeth;
- Bad breath;
- Bad taste.
The main cause of pericoronitis is tooth decay. When a tooth is partially impacted in the gum, bacteria multiply and the risk of swelling and inflammation increases.
Risk factors include:
- Age (20 to 30 years old);
- Wisdom teeth are not fully erupted;
- You are under severe stress;
- You have excess gum tissue;
- You are pregnant;
- You do not maintain oral hygiene.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24142-pericoronitis
