Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis is a dental disease that is an inflammation of the gums around an erupting tooth. Let's look at the features of pericoronitis, diagnostic methods, treatment methods and prevention.

The disease manifests itself during teething and can occur in both adults and children. Pericoronitis causes gum swelling, severe cutting pain when swallowing, opening the mouth and in the area of the erupting tooth. Due to the disease, the patient feels general weakness, and an unpleasant taste and smell in the mouth may also appear. Teeth that erupt incorrectly and cause pericoronitis can cause destruction and injury to adjacent teeth, so they are subject to immediate removal.

Pericoronitis when wisdom teeth appear causes inflammation of the gum hood. Inflamed gum tissue grows on the erupting tooth and causes a lot of pain when eating or brushing teeth. The disease has two forms, however, like all inflammatory processes - chronic and acute.

• Acute stage – the disease gradually worsens, causing swelling, the appearance of pus and many other unpleasant symptoms.
• Chronic stage – has an intermittent nature, worsens for a while, then goes away again.

Please note that if the inflammation is not treated, it will turn from an acute form into a chronic one. But complications from both the first and second forms of pericoronitis will be very serious. The absence of proper treatment can cause ulcerative stomatitis, purulent lymphadenitis, abscesses and phlegmons, inflammation of bone tissue.

ICD-10 code

Pericoronitis is in the international classification of diseases. The International Classification of Diseases ICD is a system of categories and headings that collects pathological conditions that meet certain, pre-established criteria. ICD displays many diseases that are divided by specific symptoms for maximum convenience when used for epidemiological purposes or for assessing health care.

Bacteria present in the oral microflora cause pericoronitis. Due to certain conditions, bacteria begin to actively multiply in the gingival pocket, forming a capsule over the erupting tooth. Treatment involves surgical dissection of the neoplasm, taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Causes of Pericoronitis

The main causes of pericoronitis are teething. Almost 80% of the disease occurs when wisdom teeth appear (especially lower ones). They cause a lot of inconvenience and pain. Wisdom teeth grow last, and their growth is often deformed. This leads to damage to adjacent teeth and the appearance of pericoronitis. Wisdom teeth can grow like all normal teeth or grow halfway and stop, and in extreme cases, grow horizontally, damaging adjacent teeth and mucous tissues.

That is, the growth and eruption of teeth is the main cause of the disease. Note that pericoronitis can be considered a physiological problem. It occurs due to thick walls of the gingival hood, thickened gum walls, and decreased factors in the body responsible for growth.

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Symptoms of Pericoronitis

Only a dentist can recognize the symptoms of pericoronitis. As a rule, patients seek medical help only when pericoronitis becomes acute, that is, it causes swelling, fever, general malaise, pain when eating or swallowing. We suggest you consider the main symptoms of pericoronitis:

• A purulent smell and taste in the mouth (from an erupting tooth).
• Swelling of the gums, and in particularly severe cases, swelling of the cheek.
• Tooth mobility, pain while eating and when pressing on the tooth.
• Painful sensations when trying to open or close the mouth (occurs in severe forms of the disease).
• High temperature, headache, swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

Please note that regular dental checkups can help prevent pericoronitis. The doctor can assess the condition of wisdom teeth and their hoods using a visual examination or X-ray. In addition, thanks to the examination, the dentist can prevent incorrect, deformed growth of wisdom teeth, remove them in time and minimize the chances of pericoronitis and inflammatory processes.

Acute pericoronitis

Acute pericoronitis is an inflammation that occurs during the eruption of wisdom teeth. Most often, the pathological process appears in the area of the third molar. The appearance of the acute form of the disease is provoked by such factors as: trauma to the mucous membrane, dental diseases, lack of proper oral hygiene and physiological characteristics of the body (thick gum walls).

The disease manifests itself in the form of aching pains accompanying the eruption of a tooth. The pain lasts for a week and without appropriate medical care becomes acute. The patient has difficulty chewing food, it is painful to swallow and even open the mouth. Some patients experience enlarged lymph nodes, fever and general malaise. Acute pericoronitis can become chronic and cause a number of exacerbations. Only a dentist can prescribe effective treatment and relieve pain. Therefore, when the first symptoms of acute pericoronitis appear, do not delay visiting the dentist.

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Chronic pericoronitis

Chronic pericoronitis occurs when the acute form of the disease has not been properly treated. The clinical picture of the disease is rather poor, it appears when the lower wisdom teeth are erupting and are in an incorrect position. Chronic pericoronitis, unlike acute pericoronitis, does not cause such painful symptoms. But the most common symptom that accompanies this disease is pronounced lymphadenitis. Purulent serous fluid oozes from under the gum hood. Despite the fact that the entire process is almost asymptomatic, in the presence of pathogenic factors it can turn into a dangerous inflammation.

Timely and effective treatment of the acute form of the disease will help prevent the development of the chronic form of the disease. Contact your dentist and the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment that will rid you and your teeth of chronic pericoronitis.

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Diagnosis of pericoronitis

Pericoronitis is diagnosed by a dentist. The doctor studies the clinical manifestations of the disease, the patient's symptoms and complaints, and conducts a visual examination. In some cases, the dentist prescribes an X-ray examination. This

Allows you to find out how a tooth is growing and whether it poses a threat to neighboring teeth and gums.

After diagnosis, the dentist can prescribe treatment. Treatment of pericoronitis is aimed at eliminating the factors causing the disease and preventing the transition of the disease into a chronic form. The treatment method depends on the results of the diagnosis of the disease and the general condition of the patient.

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Treatment of pericoronitis

Treatment of pericoronitis is prescribed by a dentist and depends on the overall picture of the disease, i.e. its course, symptoms and the patient's condition. There are several types of treatment, let's consider them.

• Drug therapy – the patient is prescribed rinses and medications that will relieve inflammation and prevent suppuration of the gingival hood. As a rule, this type of treatment is also prescribed after surgery.
• Laser therapy is a modern method of treating the disease. The laser, having an anti-inflammatory effect, relieves swelling, stimulates oxygen supply and metabolism of gum tissue, due to deep penetration under the skin. This type of treatment lasts 10-15 days and involves one laser procedure every day.
• Surgery is the traditional method of treating pericoronitis. The dentist cuts the gum hood over the growing tooth. After this treatment, the patient is prescribed rinses and a number of anti-inflammatory drugs that will speed up the healing process.

If the treatment of pericoronitis was incomplete and of poor quality, and the process was not stopped, then pericoronitis will take a chronic form. In this case, the inflammation will appear and disappear. From under the protracted gum hood, purulent fluid will begin to ooze, causing an unpleasant taste and smell in the mouth.

Treatment of pericoronitis at home

Treatment of pericoronitis at home is not recommended and can only be done after visiting a dentist and receiving his permission. Home treatment is an emergency method that acts as an emergency aid. Treatment involves rinsing with herbal infusions that have an antibacterial effect. Soda baths and anti-inflammatory medications are also used.

With pericoronitis, it is very important to maintain oral hygiene. It is necessary to brush your teeth carefully, and on the affected area, use your finger or a cotton swab instead of a brush. The gum hood should be washed with a warm saline solution, as it has an antibacterial effect. For convenience, take a syringe without a needle and use it to wash the inflamed tooth and gum.

Prevention of pericoronitis

Prevention of pericoronitis should begin with regular visits to the dentist and examination. Only timely diagnostics, regular monitoring, and X-ray examination can detect the disease. If you feel pain during teething, which causes gum inflammation, pain when eating, and enlarged lymph nodes - these are all signs that you have acute pericoronitis. You urgently need to visit a dentist before the inflammation becomes pathological and chronic.

Pericoronitis is a very unpleasant dental disease that occurs during teething. The disease has many symptoms that allow it to be diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Remember that maintaining oral hygiene and regular preventive examinations at the dentist is the best way to prevent any disease, including pericoronitis.