Impacted wisdom teeth can create a number of issues that jeopardize the overall health of your mouth. Wisdom teeth that grow in impacted create a flap of tissue near the teeth. This flap of tissue is difficult to thoroughly clean when using traditional oral care methods. As a result, this flap builds up with food and other debris. When left unresolved, this results in a bacteria infection near your wisdom teeth. You may begin to notice some pain as well as inflammation. The bacteria infection is known as pericoronitis. If you notice that you have pericoronitis, then it is important to schedule an appointment with your dentist as quickly as possible. Until then, there are a few tips that you can use to reduce the inflammation.

Clean the Flap with a Salt Water Rinse

While brushing your teeth is still important while you deal with pericoronitis, this will not keep the flap completely clean. To clean the flap and reduce inflammation, you will need to use your hands to lift the flap and cleanse it with an antibacterial rinse. An easy way to do this is by using warm saltwater. Simply dissolve a spoonful of salt in hot water and wait for the mixture to cool. Once it cools, use a small medicine cup to rinse your flap out with the saltwater. Repeat this process three times to ensure that all debris has been removed. Use the saltwater immediately after your meals to help reduce your inflammation. If you use this rinse throughout the day, you should begin to notice a reduction in pain and irritation within a few hours.

Avoid Eating Using Your Impacted Teeth

If your wisdom teeth are only impacted on one side of your mouth, then it is important to chew your food using the other side of your mouth. However, if both sides of your mouth suffer from impacted wisdom teeth, then you can use your front teeth to chew. In addition, you can stick to eating soft foods like soups and broth in order to give your teeth a break from chewing. Using your impacted teeth to chew while dealing with pericoronitis will only irritate the area more. In addition, any food that gets stuck underneath the flap will only increase the bacteria growth. Reducing the amount of food and tension that is placed on this area will help to keep the area clean and stress-free. 

The inflammation that comes along with pericoronitis can make the disease extremely painful. Therefore, use these tips to help keep your inflammation to a minimum.

For more information, contact Family Medical Dental Center or a similar location.