When your wisdom teeth don’t have room to come in all the way, they may only erupt through
the gums partially, or push horizontally against the other teeth. Either way, these impacted
wisdom teeth can cause damage through crowding or problems with the gum tissue. Partially
erupted wisdom teeth can cause bacteria to grow, causing pericoronitis, or an infection in your
wisdom teeth.

What are the signs of a wisdom tooth infection? Here’s what you need to look out for!

Red Swollen Gums

If you’re able to see your wisdom teeth in the back of your mouth, you may notice red,
inflamed gums around one or more of your wisdom teeth if you have an infection. Although
you may or may not see any pus, the swelling or tenderness in that area may make it
uncomfortable for you to bite down properly. Puffy gum tissue around the infected site and
redness may be signs of pericoronitis.

Bad Taste or Smell in Your Mouth

One sign of an infection in your oral cavity is a foul taste in your mouth or a bad smell. In
addition to this, you may also see pus coming from the gum tissue near the infected tooth. This
taste will return after brushing and will normally persist until the infection is taken care of. If
you notice these signs, be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist to evaluate the
problem!

Swollen Lymph Nodes or Fever

If your infection is more severe, you may have swollen lymph nodes just below your chin, which
usually indicates that your body is trying to fight off an infection. You may also have a fever or
chills, and additional swelling on the side of your face with your affected tooth. Some people
even experience jaw muscle spasms. All of these are signs that you need to get checked out to
determine what’s causing the problem.

How Periocoronitis Is Treated

In order to make the infection go away, you’ll need to have your dentist properly clear the
infection, and you’ll likely need to be on antibiotics. You may also need to have your wisdom
teeth extracted, or have gum tissue around the area removed so that the infection doesn’t
return. Your dentist will discuss the best options for your treatment with you once your
symptoms are evaluated and a diagnosis is made.

Are you experiencing signs of wisdom tooth infection? If your wisdom teeth are still intact and
you’ve been seeing any of these signs, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your dentist.
Since oral infections can get into the bloodstream, it’s imperative that you get the problem
addressed as soon as possible. Get your wisdom teeth checked out if you have these signs!

The post Top Signs of Wisdom Tooth Infection appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

How Your Jaw Is Connected Throughout the Body

First of all, TMJ throws off the balance of the entire body. The spine is rather slender compared to the size of the human head that it must support. If anything is out of alignment, including the jaw, it can cause everything to become misaligned. The result can often be headaches. This occurs when long-term muscle tension around the jaw turns into tension in the face and neck. Tension headaches may begin to recur. Even more concerning is the fact that this imbalance can be transferred down the spine resulting in muscle tension all over.

Pinched nerves are another painful side effect of TMJ. The trigeminal nerve, for example, is very close to the jaw. Pinching this nerve can result in back and neck pain. From there, pain often travels to the extremities.

The Results of TMJ Correction

Correcting TMJ may be the first step in eliminating these other serious problems. Some patients have discovered that when their TMJ was fixed, other problems went away that they did not realize were related. For example, one woman found that her hand pain and gripping problems went away. Obviously, her TMJ had resulted in a problem with her brachial nerves. After correcting the root cause, the symptoms were relieved.

One of the primary connected issues is headaches including tension headaches and migraines. Fixing a problem with TMJ with frequently result in fewer headaches or relief from them altogether.

How Is TMJ Corrected?

The first step to overall health is correcting TMJ. This will also relieve any other symptoms that have TMJ as their root cause. Treatment for your TMJ will depend on an examination and the severity of the case. Treatments include:

· Conservative, Self-Treatments – This involves exercises for the jaw, a change in diet to make eating easier on the jaw, and the use of ice.

· Pain Management – NSAIDs, such as medications containing ibuprofen, may be prescribed or certain brands recommended if an over-the-counter dose is suitable.

· Bite Guards – This is more of a temporary relief of symptoms rather than a cure. Bite guards can only be used on a temporary basis and will not reverse the problem.

· Botox – Clinical trials are being used to determine if this is a viable treatment option for TMJ. This treatment is not currently approved by the FDA making it an off-label treatment option.

· Surgery – This is considered to be a last resort in extreme cases because the surgery is invasive and cannot be reversed. Be sure that your doctor discusses all of your available options before deciding on surgery.

· Implants – One form of TMJ surgery involves a surgical implant. Be sure to consider the possible effects before deciding on this option.

Contact your dentist today to see how dental treatment can alleviate the causes and symptoms of TMJ.

The post The Connection between TMJ and the Body appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.