DENTAL EMERGENCY: WISDOM TOOTH PAIN OR PERIOCORONITIS

Most common reasons:
-Infection in Gum Tissue
-Impacted Wisdom Tooth

Common Symptoms:
-Pain
-Swollen face
-Inflamed gum tissue
-Swelling of gum tissue in back of your mouth
-Difficulty opening your jaw
-Bad Breath
-Bad taste in mouth
-Pain when you open your mouth
-Pain when chewing or eating

Time needed to be seen: Immediately

Impacted teeth are painless until they start to come out. As impacted teeth start to erupt out of gum tissue there will be a flap of gum tissue above it that may become infected and swollen. This can hurt a lot. You may even feel pain sensation near your teeth or on your ear on the side of your face.

Infection in the gum tissue that is cause by the infected tooth is termed pericoronitis. If this infection is not treated it will spread to your throat or into your neck. Severe infections will require that you go to the hospital. Because impacted wisdom teeth are so hard to clean they may have cavities or cause food to be lodged in between adjacent teeth and cause your adjacent teeth to have cavities. This will leads to a dental abscess.

There is no home remedy to treat pain from an impacted wisdom tooth. You can get some relief by rinsing with warm salt water in the area of pain. However, it is difficult to get underneath the gum tissue without special tools seen at your Emergency Dentist. You will have to see your Emergency Dentist to get proper care for the infected area.

What to do until you can get to your dentist’s office:

-Rinse with warm salt water in area of pain
-Take an over the counter pain reliever such as Tylenol

Your Visit will include:
-XRays will be taken of the affected tooth
-Diagnostic tests to find out the origin of the infection, gum versus tooth

Treatment:
Treatment depends on where the source of infection is.
1) Gum Tissue Infection: Drainage of the area, cleaning of underneath the flap of gum tissue and rinse with antibiotics.
2) Tooth Infection: Root Canal Therapy, Core Buildup, Dental Crown
3) Removal of your wisdom teeth will allow you to properly clean the area and prevent further inflammation.