A partially erupted tooth is a tooth that has not fully emerged through the gums. Partially erupted teeth are especially hard to clean around and they are susceptible to gingivitis. In particular, if the wisdom teeth on the upper jaw emerge before those on the lower jaw, the upper tooth may bite down on the impacted tooth, which can cause irritation and increase the odds of infection.
When gingivitis occurs in the area around a partially erupted tooth, the condition is known as pericoronitis. It is most common in wisdom teeth, which can often be impacted, and may remain only slightly protruding through the gum line.
Our Most Advanced Electric Toothbrush for Pericoronitis Treatment
662
If you develop pericoronitis, your dental professional may start by flushing out the area around the impacted tooth to remove debris. Then he or she may take an X-ray to see whether the tooth is likely to emerge. If the tooth looks likely to remain impacted, the dental professional will probably recommend having both the upper and lower wisdom teeth removed. Sometimes both teeth will be removed during the same dental visit, yet some dental professionals advise doing them on separate occasions. It’s generally a good idea to remove both top and bottom wisdom teeth if either is likely to remain impacted and if you want to avoid the increased risk of gingivitis due to tooth misalignment.
Gingivitis is reversible, so visit your dental professional at the first signs of symptoms for a proper evaluation to decide the best course of treatment. They may simply have you update your daily oral hygiene routine to better protect and improve gum health. In fact, a recent study showed the gum health benefits of the following routine, where 100% of gingivitis patients transitioned to a healthy gingival state**:
This blog has been reviewed and approved by Dr Robert Lee, a dental professional of 35 years
Dr Robert Lee
Dr Robert Lee is a dentist with more than thirty years of experience in the industry.
Graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery and from the University of New South Wales with a Master of Business Administration, Robert’s career has taken him all over the world – from Australia to Germany to his current position in Chicago, where he is the founder of Denticus Inc., offering strategic dental consulting.
Robert has previously worked for Procter & Gamble as the Director of Professional Scientific Relations in both the Cincinnati and Sydney offices, being responsible for external relations and scientific exchange with leading professional associations and industry thought leaders. He was also responsible for all technical and scientific training for the professional teams in North America and Australia.
Robert has been assisting the team at Oral-B by fact-checking and reviewing our blogs on dental health. You can find a list of the blogs Robert has approved below:
SEE LESS
069055125946|069055125939|069055125205
What is Gingivitis? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Wisdom Teeth Pain, Symptoms, and Extraction