Pericoronitis is one of the most common dental issues, especially during late adolescence. Despite the effects it may cause and how complicated pericoronitis problem can be, there are some methods and remedies that may alleviate this dental-gum problem. Some of the treatments are aimed for mild problems of pericoronitis and thus, can be performed at home, while some others are more suitable for more aggravated pericorontis and hence, need to be performed by professionals.

Treating pericoronitis at home

Going to the dentist has been very unpleasant for many people. Thus, a lot of people prefer to treat existing dental problems using home remedies that they can easily refer at home. As long as the experienced dental problems are endurable and mild, these methods of treatment can surely be employed. However, it is very important to undergo proper medical cares related to dental problems when the problem and its effects have caused major discomfort during your daily activities.
You can take care of pericoronitis at home if you are suffering from mild pericoronitis. Thus, you only experience occasional pain and swelling, without any serious ulcer formation, pus drainage, or tooth decay. A couple of things you can do at home in dealing with pericoronitis include:

Rinsing around the affected gum

Rinsing around the affected gum and tooth is the easiest and simplest method to do in dealing with pericoronitis. It is recommended to rinse around the mouth, focusing on the affected area with very warm saline water. The warmth opens up the capillaries to promote sufficient bloodstream into the affected gum. It also triggers the immune system to start fighting the infesting bacteria under the gum. Rinsing the area around the infected gum also helps rinsing out bacteria and leftover food particles from under the gum, so that the overgrowth can be controlled.

In addition to warm saline solution, fluoride-based mouthwash is also helpful for killing infesting bacteria under the infected gum and thus, bringing the inflammation down. Avoid using alcohol-based mouthwash as this may aggravate the tissues around the infection site.

Cleaning the gum flap around the wisdom teeth

A gap or flap formed as a result of imperfectly erupting wisdom teeth is the main trigger of an infected gum around the teeth. Thus, cleaning the area under the gum flap is essential for minimizing bacterial infestation that causes infection. Reaching the spot with toothbrushes may not be easy, so that using a plastic syringe to release sufficient amount of mouthwash will be very effective.

Warm compresses

Warm compresses are helpful in bringing down the inflammation and pain caused by pericoronitis. This remedy can be used if you are suffering from moderate pericoronitis, wherein inflammation does not only affect the gum around the wisdom teeth, but also the cheeks and the neck due to the inflammation of the lymph nodes. Applying warm compresses several times a day will help you bringing down the swelling and reducing caused pain.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics is also essential for pericoronitis treatment, especially if the symptoms are quite severe. However, prolonged use of antibiotics is not advised, so that seeing the dentist immediately is recommended.

Medical treatments for pericoronitis

• Painkillers can be prescribed by a dentist to reduce pain and inflammation caused by pericoronitis. These include aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. These medications are advised, but require a doctor’s prescription. In addition to these painkillers, the dentist may also prescribe pain medication.
• In more chronic case of pericoronitis wherein a gum flap occurs and cause continuous pain and swelling, oral surgery may be performed to remove this flap. The flap might need to be remove in order to minimize the colony of bacteria harboring beneath the flap, which leads to an infection and inflammation of the gum area near the wisdom tooth.
• If the pain and inflammation gets more severe eventually and keep coming back, the dentist may decide to do wisdom tooth extraction. This tooth extraction is done after gum and dental review has been done. An oral surgeon will perform this surgery, which may require a few hours. Post-operative healing process will include removing the stitches and promoting healing to the operated gum and wisdom tooth bed.