Wisdom teeth often erupt partially impacted, not fully emerging from gums which can lead to recurrent infections called pericoronitis. The cramped space fills with debris under gum flaps, causing swelling, pain and other uncomfortable symptoms demanding attention before they spread.

What Does a Wisdom Tooth Infection Feel Like?

You’ll know if your emerging or partially visible infection of wisdom tooth gets infected by these common signs:

Intense Throbbing – Unlike normal toothache pain, the pulsing sensation won’t subside with painkillers and gets severe as infection progresses behind the gum.

Swollen Red Gums – The area around the errupting wisdom tooth appears visibly swollen, often reddish purple and may even ooze pus.

Jaw and Ear Pain – Infection causes inflammation inside periodontal pockets and nearby jawbone putting pressure on nerves radiating pain up the side of your face by the ear.

Bad Breath – Pus formation and dying tissue emits a rotten smell and taste from the back of your throat no amount of brushing removes.

Fever and Chills – Gum tissues harbor growing clusters of bacteria entering the bloodstream can lead to mild fever and body aches.

Difficulty Opening Jaw – Muscles near swelling stiffen from inflammation reducing ability to open mouth fully. This also hinders eating or brushing back teeth.

Other Varied Symptoms

Less often, wisdom teeth infections manifest additional symptoms like swollen lymph nodes under the chin or side of neck, headaches and fatigue from fighting bodily inflammation or even difficulty swallowing.

If your partially visible wisdom tooth starts displaying one or more symptoms of infection for more than a day or two, don’t wait for it to potentially worsen or spread. Make an emergency dental appointment immediately.

Can Wisdom Tooth Infections Go Away Without Treatment?

It’s unwise to delay hoping symptoms simply disappear on their own. While minor cases sometimes resolve if the offending food trapped behind gum tissue dislodges, anything beyond very mild requires professionally clearing away debris and diseased tissue.

Powerful prescription antibiotics are also usually prescribed to fight harmful bacteria festering deeply around tooth roots and jaw bone. Over-the-counter pain relievers and saltwater rinses provide only temporary relief from infection discomfort but fails to eliminate the underlying problem.

Why Infected Wisdom Teeth Require Urgent Dental Care

It’s crucial not to ignore symptoms of infection hoping they self-resolve. Here’s why:

Decay Risk – Surrounding back molars face harm if infection spreads to the root tips they share.

Cysts – Long-term infected tissue can encapsulate into difficult cysts requiring extensive surgery.

Compromised Immunity – Serious infection enters the bloodstream risking sepsis consequences. Those medically immunocompromised especially shouldn’t delay.

Extraction Complexity – As you age, wisdom tooth removal gets problematic with increased infection recurrence and healing time.

Spread to Fascia – Untreated infections could erode through thin gum tissue into the connective tissues and fat around the cheeks and jaw.

By scheduling an emergency dental visit at the first signs of pain or swelling around erupting wisdom teeth, the dentist can prescribe antibiotics and/or schedule removal before the situation endangers your oral or systemic health.

What’s the Typical Wisdom Tooth Infection Treatment?

Dentists have two options managing infected emerging wisdom teeth – conservative care or removal also known as extraction. The best path depends greatly on your specific situation including age, dental crowding, partial eruption status and gum health.

Conservative Care Steps:

If over 18 and wisdom teeth display signs of smooth continued eruption with good positioning, your dentist may suggest:

●Prescribing a 10-14 day course of antibiotics, typically penicillin or clindamycin

●Recommend saltwater rinses and antiseptic mouthwash several times daily

●Prescribe localized antibiotic gel applied around infected gum tissue

● Gently flush debris from gum pockets after eating/brushing

You’ll return after antibiotics for reevaluation. If symptoms arise again, extraction often becomes necessary for sustained health.

Extraction Process:

For upper wisdom teeth partially hidden under gum poised to remain impacted or already causing multiple infections, removing them becomes essential. Thanks to modern techniques, this outpatient procedure takes under an hour with relatively smooth recovery.

The dentist will:

●Numb the area extensively with local anesthetic shots

●Make a small incision in the gum to uncover buried tooth

● Gently loosen connective tissue attachments and bone

● Carefully section and remove any erupted portion

● Irrigate and suture the extraction site closed

Follow post-op guidelines to control swelling and keep the area clean while healing over the next 7-10 days. Sticking to a soft foods diet eases discomfort so you can recover smoothly and avoid triggering any infection recurrence.

Preserve Your Health Before Infection Emerges

While rising cases of pericoronitis prove incredibly painful and disruptive to life, they represent easily avoidable dental emergencies through proactive removal by age 18. Evaluating positioning early often leads to quick early extraction before your 30s minimizing complications.

Don’t wait for the warning signs of infections to erupt. Talk to your dentist soon about options to handle emerging wisdom teeth infection treatment before they turn problematic. Follow through swiftly removing partially erupted teeth lingering under your gums for sustained health and wellness.