Medicines for Pericoronitis

What it is

Pericoronitis is inflammation and infection of the gum tissue overlying and surrounding a tooth that has only partly emerged (erupted) through the gum — most commonly a lower wisdom tooth. When a wisdom tooth is partly through, a flap of gum often overlies part of it, and food debris and bacteria can collect in the space under this flap, where they are hard to clean out, leading to inflammation and infection of the gum. It causes symptoms such as pain and swelling of the gum at the back of the mouth around the affected tooth, redness, a bad taste or smell, discomfort on biting (as the upper teeth may bite onto the swollen gum), difficulty opening the mouth fully, and, if it becomes more significant, swelling spreading to the face or neck, swollen glands, difficulty swallowing, fever, and feeling unwell — which indicate a more serious, spreading infection needing prompt treatment. Pericoronitis is common in older teenagers and young adults, when the wisdom teeth are erupting, and can occur as a one-off or recur. It ranges from a mild, localised nuisance to, occasionally, a more serious spreading infection, so it is important to know how to manage it and when to seek prompt care.

How it is treated

The management of pericoronitis depends on the severity, and most mild cases can be managed with good oral hygiene and simple measures, while more significant or spreading infections need prompt dental or medical treatment. For a mild, localised episode: keeping the area clean is key — gently but thoroughly cleaning around the affected tooth and under the gum flap (a dentist can advise, and warm salt-water mouth rinses help flush out debris and soothe the area), along with simple pain relief. A dentist can clean out the area (irrigate under the flap) to remove trapped debris and help it settle. Where the infection is more significant — with spreading swelling, fever, swollen glands, difficulty swallowing or opening the mouth, or feeling unwell — antibiotics and prompt dental or medical treatment are needed, and a serious spreading infection needs urgent care. Because pericoronitis often relates to a problematic partly erupted wisdom tooth, and can recur, the underlying tooth is assessed once the acute episode has settled: if pericoronitis is recurrent or the wisdom tooth is unlikely to come through properly, removing the wisdom tooth (or occasionally the overlying gum flap) may be recommended to prevent it happening again. The reassuring message is that pericoronitis is common and usually manageable — mild cases with good cleaning and simple measures, and more significant infections with prompt dental treatment and antibiotics — with the underlying wisdom tooth assessed to prevent recurrence, while spreading infection needs urgent care.