Erupted Tooth: Pericoronitis Symptoms & Treatment

Summary

Partially erupted teeth are especially hard to clean around and they are susceptible to gingivitis. Add an electric toothbrush to your daily oral hygiene routine to better protect and improve gum health. Oral-B’s round brush head surrounds each tooth to clean more surfaces and remove 100% more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush.

What is an Erupted Tooth?

A partially erupted tooth is a tooth that has not fully emerged through the gums. Partially erupted teeth are especially hard to clean around and they are susceptible to gingivitis. In particular, if the wisdom teeth on the upper jaw emerge before those on the lower jaw, the upper tooth may bite down on the impacted tooth, which can cause irritation and increase the odds of infection.

Pericoronitis Symptoms

When gingivitis occurs in the area around a partially erupted tooth, the condition is known as pericoronitis. It is most common in wisdom teeth, which can often be impacted, and may remain only slightly protruding through the gum line.

Pericoronitis Treatments

If you develop pericoronitis, your dental professional may start by flushing out the area around the impacted tooth to remove debris. Then he or she may take an X-ray to see whether the tooth is likely to emerge. If the tooth looks likely to remain impacted, the dental professional will probably recommend having both the upper and lower wisdom teeth removed. Sometimes both teeth will be removed during the same dental visit, yet some dental professionals advise doing them on separate occasions. It’s generally a good idea to remove both top and bottom wisdom teeth if either is likely to remain impacted and if you want to avoid the increased risk of gingivitis due to tooth misalignment.

Upgrade Your Oral Care Routine for Healthier Gums

Gingivitis is reversible, so visit your dental professional at the first signs of symptoms for a proper evaluation to decide the best course of treatment. They may simply have you update your daily oral hygiene routine to better protect and improve gum health. In fact, a recent study showed the gum health benefits of the following routine, where 100% of gingivitis patients transitioned to a healthy gingival state**:

• Brush teeth at least twice a day with the Oral-B iO Series 9 Rechargeable Toothbrush . Its dentist-inspired round brush head expertly cleans with micro-vibrations to remove more plaque than a manual brush.
• Pair the Oral-B iO with a toothpaste containing Stannous Fluoride like Crest Gum Detoxify, its activated foam formula removes plaque bacteria in hard-to-reach areas to better reverse gingivitis.
• Floss at least once a day to remove more plaque and debris from tight spaces. The Oral-B Pro-Health Advanced Floss slides up to 50% more easily in tight spaces than other types of floss. To further improve your gum health, supplement your regular flossing routine with the Oral-B Water Flosser Advanced, its unique Oxyjet Technology helps eliminate more plaque bacteria* for healthier gums.
• Swish with a rinse containing Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC), like Crest Pro-Health Multi-Protection Mouthwash which helps protect your mouth from gingivitis and plaque with 0% alcohol.

*Helps reduce plaque bacteria and inflammatory components associated with gingivitis, when used as an adjunct to brushing, flossing and regular professional care.
**Adam R,1 Grender J,2 Timm H,1 Qaqish J,3 Goyal CR.3 1. Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Kronberg, Germany. 2. The Procter & Gamble Co., Mason, OH, USA. 3. All Sum, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Data on file, 2020. Anti-Gingivitis and Anti-Plaque Efficacy of an Oral Hygiene Routine including Oral-B® iO Oscillating-Rotating Electric Toothbrush, Stannous Fluoride Dentifrice, CPC Rinse and Floss: Results from a 12-week Trial