25/09/2016
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 How to Deal
with an Infected
Wisdom Tooth Wisdom teeth (third molars) get
their name because they’re
usually the last teeth that come
in, often when people are in their late adolescence.[1] (A few people do not have wisdom teeth at all.)[2] Having an infected wisdom tooth can be
very unpleasant and will usually
require immediate action. You
can take a few steps to relieve
the pain until you are able to see
your dentist. Part One of Three: Caring At Home Identify the signs. Pericoronitis (the infection around the wisdom
tooth) occurs when the
tissue surrounding a wisdom
tooth becomes inflamed and
infected. It can be caused
when only part of the tooth has “erupted” into the mouth,
or if crowding near the
wisdom teeth has made
flossing and proper cleaning difficult.[3] To figure out whether your wisdom tooth
is infected, it is important to
be able to identify the tell-tale
signs and symptoms. Look for the following:[4] Bright red gums or red
with white spots on your
gums. The gums will be
inflamed around the
particular tooth. Moderate to severe pain
in your jaw and
difficulty chewing. You
may notice swelling that
looks like a small lump
in your cheek. The swollen area may also feel hot to the touch.[5] An unpleasant, metallic
taste in your mouth.
This is caused by the
blood and pus at the site
of the infection. You
may also experience bad breath as a result.[6] Difficulty opening your
mouth or swallowing.
This may mean that the
infection has spread
from the gums to the surrounding muscles.[7] Fever. A temperature
above 100 degrees F
(37.8 degrees C)
indicates that you have
a fever, which means
that your body is fighting off an infection.
In severe cases, the
infection may be
accompanied by muscle
weakness. If this is the
case, you should contact a dentist or
doctor immediately. In some cases, the root
may also be infected. If
this is the case, your
dentist will likely extract the tooth.[8] Rinse your mouth
with saltwater. Salt is naturally antiseptic. Using a
saltwater rinse can help kill bacteria in your mouth.[9][10] Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt
to 8 ounces of lukewarm
water. Mix well to combine. [11] Take a mouthful of the
rinse and swirl it around
your mouth for 30
seconds, concentrating
on the infected area to
kill the bacteria. Spit out the salt water
after 30 seconds — do
not swallow. Repeat this
process 3 to 4 times per
day. You can use this
treatment in combination
with any antibiotics your
dentist prescribes. Use a dental gel to
relieve pain and inflammation. Depending where you live, it might
possible to buy antibacterial
dental gels at your local
drugstore. These gels help
to control the infection and
alleviate any pain or inflammation.[12] To apply the gel, rinse
your mouth thoroughly
and apply one or two
drops of the gel directly
onto the infected area
using a cotton applicator tip. Don't use your fingers
to apply the gel as you
risk introducing more
bacteria. Apply the dental gel 3 to
4 times per day for best
results. Relieve the pain. If you are experiencing severe discomfort as a
result of the wisdom tooth
infection, you can take a
pain reliever that also
relieves inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) are usually
available over the counter at
pharmacies and drug stores. [13] Ibuprofen (Advil,
Motrin), naproxen
(Aleve), and aspirin are
the most common
NSAIDs. Do not give
aspirin to children under age 18, as it has been
linked to the
development of Reye’s
Syndrome, which
causes brain and liver damage.[14] Acetaminophen
(paracetamol) is not an
NSAID and does not
reduce inflammation,
but it can help relieve pain.[15] Follow the dosing
instructions on the
packaging, or as
instructed by your
doctor, and do not
exceed the maximum dosage. Keep in mind that each
drug has its own list of
side effects, so read the
product advice
information on the
packaging before taking any medication. Talk to
your pharmacist or
doctor if needed. Use an ice pack. If you don’t want or can’t take medication, apply an ice pack to the infected area. It will relieve pain and reduce
the inflammation until you can seek treatment.[16] If the swelling is severe, seek
emergency medical
treatment. Pour ice cubes in a
plastic bag or in a towel.
Press the bag against
the painful area for at
least ten minutes. You can also use a bag
of frozen vegetables,
such as peas or corn.
(Don’t eat bagged
veggies that have been
thawed and refrozen.) Call your dentist. It is very important that you schedule an appointment
with your dentist as soon as
possible. If you do not get
adequate medical treatment
for your infection, it could
spread to other parts of your mouth and body.[17] Pericoronitis may also
lead to other
complications such as
gum disease, tooth
decay and the
development of cysts. More severe
complications include
swollen lymph nodes,
sepsis, systemic
infection, and possibly
even death. If your dentist is too
busy to see you
immediately, visit an
urgent care clinic or go
to the hospital. Many
have emergency dentists. Advertisement Part Two of Three: Seeing Your Dentist Discuss the
treatment with your dentist. S/he will examine the infected area and take
an x-ray. to determine the
severity of the situation and
identify the best treatment. [18] S/he will examine the
position of the tooth to
see whether it has fully
or partially emerged
from the gums. Your
dentist will also take note of the condition of
the surrounding gums. If the wisdom tooth has
not yet emerged, the
dentist may need to
perform an x-ray to
locate the tooth and
identify its position. These factors will
influence whether or not
the tooth will need to be
removed. Don’t forget your
medical history. Your
dentist will want to know
if you’re allergic to any
medication. Ask about costs,
risks, and benefits of treatment. Consult with your dentist about how much
the procedure will cost. You
should also ask about all the
risks and benefits of the
treatment, as well as any
alternative treatments that may be an option. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions. You have the
right to understand your
medical care. Let your dentist clean
the infected area. If the wisdom tooth is about to
emerge from the gums
without any problems and
the infection is not too
severe, the dentist may be
able to clear the infection by simply cleaning the area with
an antiseptic solution. The dentist will remove
any infected tissue,
pus, food debris or
plaque from around the
area. If there is an
abscess on the gums, sometimes a small
incision will be made to
drain the pus. After the cleaning, your
dentist will recommend
home care for you to
follow over the next few
days. This might include
mouth gels to bring down inflammation,
antibiotics to fully clear
the infection, and
painkillers to relieve any pain.[19] Commonly prescribed antibiotics
include Amoxicillin,
Clindamycin, and Penicillin.[20] Prepare yourself for
minor surgery. One of the main causes of wisdom
tooth infection is when a
section of gum covering the
wisdom tooth — known as the
gum flap —becomes infected
due to bacteria, plaque and food debris becoming
trapped underneath it. If the
tooth is still buried within the
gums (but is positioned to
emerge from the gums
correctly) it is often easier to remove the infected gum flap than the tooth itself.[21] [22] Your dentist might
schedule a minor
surgical procedure
called an
‘operculectomy’, in
which the soft gum tissue covering the
wisdom tooth is removed.[23] Once removed, the area
will be a lot easier to
keep clean and free of
plaque and bacteria,
which greatly reduces
the chances of the wisdom tooth becoming
reinfected. Before the procedure,
your dentist will numb
the area with a local
anesthetic. S/he will
then remove the
infected tissue flap using surgical scalpel
blades, lasers or
electrocautery methods. [24] Consider a tooth
extraction. If you have suffered from multiple
infections and your wisdom
tooth shows no sign of
emerging on its own, it may
be necessary to have the
tooth removed. Extraction may also be necessary if the infection is very severe.[25] Depending on the
position of the tooth, the
extraction will be
conducted by your
dentist or by an oral surgeon.[26] The dentist will give you
a local anaesthetic and will remove the tooth.[27] You may be prescribed
antibiotics and
painkillers to prevent
further infection and
relieve any pain. It is
essential that you follow your dentist's advice
regarding good oral
hygiene practices. You will need to
schedule a follow-up
appointment with your
dentist to inspect the
gums to ensure they are
healing properly. The dentist will check the
positioning of the
opposite wisdom tooth,
in case it need to be
removed also. Advertisement Part Three of Three: Maintaining Good Oral
Hygiene Brush your teeth
twice a day. In order to avoid future infections, it is
essential to maintain good
oral hygiene. The first step
to good oral hygiene is to
brush your teeth twice a day
using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Hard-bristled
toothbrushes are too harsh
and can wear away delicate tooth enamel.[28] Hold your toothbrush at
45-degree angle to your gumline.[29] Brush your teeth using small circular motions,
rather than brushing
back and forth (as this
can damage tooth
enamel). You should brush your
teeth twice a day, for at
least two minutes at a
time. Make sure to
brush down to the gum
line and don't forget the teeth at the back. Floss daily. Flossing is just as important as brushing, as it removes built-
up plaque and bacteria from
between the teeth that the
toothbrush cannot reach. If
this plaque isn't removed, it
can lead to tooth decay, infection and gum disease. Floss at least once a day.[30] [31] Hold the floss firmly
between both hands
and work it gently down
between the teeth using
a gentle back and forth
movement. Try not to "ping" it down onto the
gums, as this is irritating
to the gums and can
cause bleeding. Curve the floss into a
“C” shape against one
tooth. Slide the floss
gently between your
tooth and your gum. Holding the floss tightly,
rub the tooth with gentle
back and forth motions. Make sure to floss
between every tooth
and at the backs of your
rear molar. You should
always rinse your
mouth after flossing to remove the dislodged
plaque and bacteria. Use an antiseptic
mouthwash to kill bacteria. Using an antiseptic mouthwash helps
to control the level of
bacteria inside the mouth,
while also keeping your
breath nice and fresh. Look
for one that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance; these
have been approved by the
American Dental Association
as effective for your teeth. [32][33] You can use
mouthwash before or
after brushing. Pour a
small cap-full of the
mouthwash into your
mouth and swish it between the teeth for
approximately 30
seconds before spitting
out. You can use a
commercial brand
antiseptic mouthwash,
or simply rinse your
mouth with undiluted
chlorhexidine, which is available at most pharmacies.[34] If you find the “burn” of
mouthwash too strong,
look for an alcohol-free
version. Schedule a dental
check-up. Scheduling regular check-ups with your
dentist is the best
preventative measure you
can take to avoid wisdom
tooth infection and other dental issues.[35] You should see your
dentist every six
months, particularly if
your wisdom teeth have
not yet emerged. Your
dentist may recommend that you visit more
frequently if you have
certain health issues. Don't smoke. Avoid smoking or using to***co products when
suffering from an infected
wisdom tooth, as these
activities irritate the gums
and can make the infection worse.[36] Cigarette smoking is
bad for your health in
general, and your oral
health is no different.
Talk to your doctor
about ways to quit as soon as you can.[37] Smoking can also stain
your teeth and tongue,
slow your body’s ability
to heal, and cause gum
disease and oral cancer.[38] Advertisement Community Q&A Tips Not all wisdom teeth need to
be extracted if they aren’t
causing problems. Your
dentist can help you decide
whether extraction is right for you.[39] Most people who have trouble with their wisdom teeth are between age 15-25.[40] Warnings Home remedies and self-care
will likely not cure an infection.
Any infection should be
examined by your dentist as
soon as possible and the
management/treatment should be done immediately
