HOLA, SALUT, CIAO🤗

We are back again👯‍♀️👯‍♀️ for another interesting topic from little dental tips😁😁😁

But just before we dive into today’s topic, i have a question for you/ public service announcement

HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR TOOTHBRUSH🪥 IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS🗣📣📣📣?

If you haven’t…..please do so ASAP😉🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

So we are starting off the 2nd month in 2021 with a bang💥💥 because we have 2 topics in one🥁🥁🥁

PeriCoronItis and Third molar (wisdom tooth) Impaction

Pericoronitis

To begin, i will start by simplifying the word for easy understanding 😉😉

Peri – Around
Coronal – Crown
Itis – inflammation (suffix)

Meaning in lay man’s terms – Inflammation around the crown of a tooth(which happens to be the 3rd molar/ wisdom tooth)

This inflammation tends to be a recurring issue for a lot of people with 3rd molar impaction and its very painful😰😰😩.

Due to its recurrent nature, previous episodes tend to be less painful that the next/future episodes.

It can cause sleepless nights, a swelling, fever(especially if infected)🤒🥶😩, trouble masticating and in very rare cases can lead to ludwigs Angina 🛌 because of the implicated 3rd molar (another topic for another day)

3rd Molar Impaction

Means

3rd molar – wisdom tooth
Impaction – being held / wedged against other things

3rd molar Impaction basically means a wisdom tooth that is stuck in bone (and sometimes to another tooth) preventing it from erupting fully.

This impaction could be partially in bone or totally in bone. These teeth could also be positioned in different directions (backwards facing, lying down flat, forward facing).

How are pericoronitis and impacted third molars linked?

With the odd positioning of these teeth and they coming out partly from the gum, some gum tissue will still be present on them. So when you chew, little bits of food gets trapped around and beneath the gums later causing it to swell and makes you unable to chew😩😩😩.

Now if this goes on for sometime it could get infected, leading to fever and chills🤒🥶😩📝. If it continues ( remember the issue is recurrent and gets worse) could lead to facial swelling and in extreme cases Ludwigs angina.

What do you do?

Its important to visit your dentist so a treatment plan can be drawn 📝 which could be conservative or may involve removing the affected tooth. Note it is based on severity on presentation by the patient

As you may know (or just getting to know) i am an advocate for regular checks which helps to prevent/ manage conditions through early detection….

So see you guys in the comment section, would love to here from you🤗😁

C.I.A.O👋👋