Pericoronitis. Causes, symptoms, and treatment

Pericoronitis is a lesion caused by complications that generally occur during the eruption of the wisdom tooth. This is considered a dental emergency . Pericoronitis is a septic complication caused by infection of the sac surrounding the tooth during eruption and can be a starting point for other secondary infections in the vicinity of it, the surrounding soft parts, the jawbone or the lymph nodes.

Other disorders that may occur during the eruption of wisdom teeth are: dental neuralgia, muscle contractions, trismus (jaw locking). Depending on the manifestation of this condition and its severity, it can be classified into chronic and acute pericoronitis. 

Chronic pericoronitis – affecting the soft tissues around the molar and the pain can also spread to the ear (radiating pain).

Acute pericoronitis (suppurative or congestive) occurs with pain during chewing, swallowing is performed with difficulty and pain, and when the gum is pressed, a watery liquid mixed with blood is eliminated. 

What causes pericoronitis?

• Inadequate oral hygiene;
• Microbial factors: bacteria accumulated at the gingival level and around the crown of the incompletely erupted wisdom molar or that remained in the bone and caused tissue inflammation in that area;
• Tartar buildup;
• Accumulation of food waste;
• Gum trauma during chewing due to hard foods or spicy/salty or very hot foods;

Symptoms of pericoronitis

Due to the fact that it is an infection, the symptoms are easy to identify and recognize when you suffer from pericoronitis: 

• redness and inflammation of the gums;
• pain in the molar area;
• unpleasant taste;
• halitosis (bad breath);
• hypersalivation;
• pain when opening the mouth or inability to open the mouth;
• inflammation of the mucosa;
• accumulation of purulent secretions in the affected area;

Among the most serious complications caused by pericoronitis are: cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis, pulmonary complications, laryngeal edema or septicemia. 

Pericoronitis treatment

To treat pericoronitis, we must take into account its severity:

• in mild cases, washing/irrigation with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drops will be performed;
• drainage of the purulent collection from the sac surrounding the dental crown under anesthesia;
• capping or removal of the bag using a dental laser. For minimal discomfort, this procedure can be performed even without anesthesia depending on the degree of inflammation and the patient's tolerance at that time. Tooth extraction is performed after the treatment of acute inflammation.

It is worth mentioning that pain therapy and biostimulation can also be performed with the help of laser for faster healing and recovery even without antibiotic treatment. Since the laser has an antibacterial effect, healing will be much faster, easier and with much less pain.