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Patient Information - Pericoronitis Advice & Treatment
Pericoronitis is an infection of the periodontal tissues surrounding
a tooth. It is largely caused by plaque and bacteria collecting in a pocket
(space) beside the gum and tooth. The infection can affect any tooth and
treatment may require a combination of the following:-
- Deep cleansing around the tooth to remove mature plaque and debris.
- Reduction of the opposing tooth to reduce the trauma to the gum surrounding
the infected teeth.
- Antibiotics are sometimes indicated if there is more tissue infection.
Metronidazole is often chosen due to its antibacterial action on obligate
anaerobes such as Actinobacillus and Capnocytophaga.
- Removal of the opposing tooth (most often a third molar or wisdom
tooth) can prevent recurrence. Radiographs are necessary to assess complications
for this procedure.
- Factors such as smoking and poor oral hygiene will cause recurrence
of the infection and therefore avoidance of smoking and good brushing
technique is often all that is required to prevent this infection.
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