Pericoronitis (wisdom tooth gum infection)

[OhWhatAPalaver]

Did anyone have a low grade fever with this? I've had many episodes of this unfortunately due to crap dentists, finally had two left side wisdom teeth removed about 8 years ago but now my top right one is causing problems. I've just started metronidazole as I noticed pain high up on Sunday and on monday the dentist told me to try local measures, corsodyl etc, which didn't work so yesterday I got the antibiotics. I had amoxicillin for the same thing in march and this time I'm trying metronidazole. It feels worse this time as I feel pain and pressure pretty much all over the right side of my face and have a slight temp of 37.5, which might be a bit higher as our thermometer is crap. Paracetamol is helping and I'm just hoping the antibiotics kick in soon but I'm worried about complications and the slight fever. I don't recall having a temp when I've had this before but I've looked on a couple of medical websites that say you can get fever with it. Can anyone set my mind at ease? I've also not had metronidazole before so maybe that's making me feel a bit rough too.

Firstly pericoronitis cannot be caused by crap dentists. It is inflammation/infection of the gum overlying a partially erupted wisdom tooth. Its caused by plaque and food that gets trapped under the gum, fuck all to do with your dentist

An upper wisdom tooth is unlikely to be pericoronitis. Its more likely to be plain old toothache or an abscess which is caused by tooth decay.

You can most definitely get a raised temperature with an abscess or pericoronitis if it spreads. There is infection present. Do you have any swelling evident?

A temperature of 37.5 isnt concerning, however keep an eye on it. Antibiotics take a few days to kick it. It maybe the temperature is unrelated

Yes I had when I had it

Here's something that helps. Make a salt solution and take a syringe (blunt end one, can get from chemist) then bend the needle. Take salt solution in syringe and squirt into wisdom tooth area

Thanks for the replies. Apologies Dish I didn't make myself clear, I know dentists didn't directly cause me to have repeated wisdom tooth infections but they have indirectly by refusing to refer me to the hospital for extraction. All my wisdom teeth are impacted and all 3 that have erupted have caused pericoronitis on several occasions. I had to beg and plead to have the left side ones out years ago and now it looks like I'll have to do the same again for the right side ones. It definitely is pericoronitis, believe me I it know too well. There is no visable external swelling thankfully, just pain and pressure. I seriously hate my wisdom teeth.

Thank you FruHagen, that is reassuring as well. I've been doing salt water rinses and using corsodyl to help along with antibiotics. The syringe is a good idea.

Impacted wisdom teeth alone isnt an indication for extraction. You have to have multiple courses of pericoronitis before you can be referred for removal of a healthy wisdom tooth. Its just the guidelines unfortunately.

Having said that an upper wisdom tooth shouldnt be difficult to remove. So if its causing you problems its probably something your own dentist can do

If it really is pericoronitis then you need to exactly as @FruHagen said. Get a blunt ended syringe, fill it with corosdyl and squirt under the flap of gum. Give it a really good clean. Id then use the syringe daily with salt water or corsodyl to clean under the gum and stop trapped food and plaque building up. Once youve cleaned it all out the inflammation should start to settle

If its not getting better or you start to get swelling get in touch with your dentist again. There are urgent care centres open and pericoronitis is really easy to treat.

I’ve been there many times. Isn’t it awful? I had it in 3 of my wisdom teeth before having them taken out. For some reason they left the fourth one in.
Metronidazole is great for teeth and bones and it will need a few days to kick in. The temperature is due to the infection. I’ve had that too.
Metronidazole can make you feel pretty rough but it’s the best one for pericoronitis

Other things you can do is squirt with a syringe in to the inflamed area with corsodyl and salt water (alternate throughout the day) or try clove oil.

The main thing is though to keep taking the antibiotics as they will start working soon and the temp will come down.

I had all 4 wisdom teeth out about 8 years ago because they were impacted. Only one got pericoronotis but they said it was best to whip all 4 out in one go since all 4 were sideways and unable to come through.

I really wish they'd removed all mine!
Metronidazole is a horrible antibiotic, I feel like crap. Two more days of it... Ugh.
Thankfully though I haven't felt the need for constant pain relief today so they seem to be working. I don't half feel crap though. Really hope they will take both out when the dentist reopens.
Thanks for the advice, I will be keeping on top of it with salt water and corsodyl.

@OhWhatAPalaver it wasn’t a pleasant time but at least it was all over with at once. I had a GA and had it done in hospital. I also lost a lower back molar at the same time because the wisdom one had grown into the side of it and damaged it.

I now have bad decay in another molar and was due to have it removed a few weeks ago but it was cancelled. Hoping it doesn’t get infected before I can have it pulled!

@Myfriendanxiety I'm wondering if this is what's happening with mine, the wisdom tooth is trying to grow sideways and forwards I think. It's so painful. I'm due to finish antibiotics on Sunday morning, I was hoping to feel a bit better by now... I thought it was improving but I seem to have I made it worse again last night by cleaning the area too much the dentist recommended dipping a small toothbrush in corsodyl and cleaning the area but every time I do it seems to get worse again.

Sounds like an impacted wisdom tooth :(

@Realitea It definitely is. I've known they were impacted for years. That's why I'm a bit confused as to why they won't remove them, there's absolutely no way it can grow properly. To me the practice of allowing it to get infected before removing it is ridiculous. My wisdom teeth have caused me so much unnecessary pain and antibiotics over the years

I had private health insurance through work. No ordinary dental cover but it covered removal of impacted wisdom teeth under GA in hospital by a maxfac surgeon no questions and no need to wait for any infections. Assume that’s not an option? Just thought to mention on the off chance you had cover.

How horrible ☹️ I was in your position a few years ago now and I remember the dentist saying their policy is to refer for removal if you’ve had two infections. They should’ve taken yours out ages ago!

@JustOneSquareofDarkChocolate no private cover unfortunately. If I could afford it I'd pay someone to remove it for me!
@Realitea maybe they'll remove it now as this particular tooth has been infected twice now but my two that were on the left were infected loads of times before they were extracted. Just wish they'd whipped out all 4 at once.

@FruHagen did you need antibiotics or did this work

@OhWhatAPalaver what happened did you remove the wisdom tooth

@DishRanAwayWithTheSpoon this is not true upper wisdom ones can caus periodontitis especially if impacted x