If you have a partially erupted wisdom tooth, you may be at risk of developing an infection at the eruption site called pericoronitis, If you wonder what you can do to prevent this condition and delay the possibility of having surgery, use the following three tips for pericoronitis in the gums around your partially erupted wisdom tooth.

Brush the Gum Tissue Around the Erupted Tooth

One thing you can do to prevent pericoronitis is to make sure that you carefully brush the gum tissue around the erupted tooth. Since the wisdom teeth are way in the back of the mouth close to the jaw joint, this area often gets neglected while performing your daily oral care.

To make it easier to reach the gums in this tight space, you might want to use a children's toothbrush. The head of the brush is smaller and can fit in the back corner without causing excess pressure on the sore area.

Use a Tooth Irrigator to Rinse the Area

Another thing you can do at home to prevent the infection is to use a tooth irrigator to thoroughly rinse the area. The irrigator will carry the water straight to the erupted tooth and gums, ensuring that all food particles are removed.

As an added precaution, you can add a teaspoon of table salt to the irrigator's reservoir. Since salt is a natural antibacterial, the salt water coming from the pick will also help kill any germs that have congregated around the erupted wisdom tooth.

Apply Diluted Clove Oil to the Eruption Site

Along with the salt, clove oil is also a natural agent that helps kill the bacteria in your mouth that could cause pericoronitis. The oil also has the added benefit of numbing the gum tissue to give you some release from any soreness you may be feeling.

When you use clove oil, make sure you dilute it with an equal amount of a carrier oil, such as olive oil. Clove oil can burn the tissue if used undiluted.

To use the clove oil remedy, mix together two drops each of clove oil and the carrier oil. Then, apply the oil to the gum using a cotton ball or swab.

Even if you use the tips above, you may still develop pericoronitis that causing you severe pain, especially if the wisdom tooth becomes impacted. If so, make an appointment with an oral surgeon, like one from Altoona Center For Oral Surgery & Maxillofacial Surgery, to discuss the possibility of having the wisdom tooth and the surrounding infection surgically removed.

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