Gochon Dental Clinic: If Inflammation Around a Wisdom Tooth or Gum Swelling Keeps Recurring but Settles Down, Is It Really Okay?

Hello, this is 이편한세상치과.

Some people visit the dentist because of very severe pain caused by their wisdom teeth, but many others do not have such intense symptoms.

There are also quite a few cases where everything feels fine normally, but the gums around a wisdom tooth swell on days when someone is tired, causing slight discomfort when chewing, and then return to normal after a few days.

When symptoms keep recurring like this, it is easy to think, “It doesn’t hurt right now, so it must be okay,” and simply move on.

However, if the gums around a wisdom tooth repeatedly swell and then settle down, it can be difficult to view the issue as merely a matter of physical condition.

Today, we will talk about why the gums around wisdom teeth keep swelling and why it is a good idea to have them checked at a dental clinic at least once, even after the pain has gone away.

If you are concerned about swelling in the gums around a wisdom tooth, please pay attention to today’s discussion^^

Why Do the Gums Around a Wisdom Tooth Keep Swelling?

Unlike other teeth, wisdom teeth are located at the very back of the mouth.

In particular, when a wisdom tooth has not fully emerged from the gums and only part of it has come through, the gums may cover part of the tooth.

This is where the problem begins.

Food can become trapped between the wisdom tooth and the gums, and bacteria can easily accumulate there.

At the same time, a toothbrush may not reach the area effectively when brushing.

Even when it looks as though the teeth are being brushed properly from the outside, food debris and plaque can remain in the inner area. As a result, inflammation can develop in the gums around the wisdom tooth and keep recurring.

This is also known as pericoronitis.

It Settled Down After a Few Days—Do I Really Need to Visit the Dentist?

Even when the area around a wisdom tooth swells, discomfort may decrease after a few days if the inflammation is still in its early stages and is not severe.

That is why some people feel as though the problem has been treated.

However, if the underlying structure that makes inflammation more likely remains unchanged—for example, the wisdom tooth is growing at an angle or is partially covered by the gums—similar symptoms may appear again.

Some people say that the same area is usually fine but swells whenever they are tired or their immune defenses are lower.

Once or twice may seem insignificant, but if this keeps happening, it is important to identify the reason the inflammation is recurring.

What Symptoms Appear When the Inflammation Becomes More Severe?

When the inflammatory response around a wisdom tooth becomes more severe, the symptoms may not stop at swelling and pain around the tooth.

| Pain when swallowing or chewing food Difficulty opening the mouth Pus or an unpleasant odor Swelling spreading to surrounding tissues |

Various symptoms such as these may occur.

Another area that needs to be checked is the condition of the molar in front of the wisdom tooth.

When a wisdom tooth grows at an angle or lies sideways, food can repeatedly become trapped between the wisdom tooth and the adjacent molar, and cavities or gum problems may develop as well.

The wisdom tooth itself can be removed, but...

If damage has also progressed to the molar in front, separate treatment may be necessary, so it is better to detect the problem before that happens if possible.

Does a Swollen Wisdom Tooth Always Need to Be Removed?

Not every wisdom tooth requires extraction simply because it is present.

If it has erupted properly, the upper and lower wisdom teeth meet normally, and the area can be brushed sufficiently, it may be possible to keep it while having it checked regularly.

However, if the inflammation around the wisdom tooth mentioned earlier keeps recurring and the tooth is positioned in a way that makes it difficult to manage, extraction may need to be considered.

In particular, with lower wisdom teeth, the relationship between the tooth roots and the nerve canal must also be checked. A panoramic image is taken, and when necessary, a CT scan is used to examine the area in greater detail before deciding whether extraction is needed and how it should be performed.

Even if It Does Not Hurt Right Now, What If It Keeps Swelling and Hurting?

It is worth having it checked at least once.

The pattern of a wisdom tooth swelling and hurting, then feeling better, may be a sign that there is a problem around the wisdom tooth.

The fact that the pain has disappeared does not necessarily mean that the cause of the inflammation has also gone away.

In particular, if swelling keeps appearing in the same area, or if there is an odor along with recurring pain, it may be a good idea to have the wisdom tooth examined^^

There is no need to rush to have a wisdom tooth removed simply because it is present,

but there is also no reason to unnecessarily postpone or ignore the signals it keeps sending.

If symptoms appear, please visit a nearby dental clinic and have the area checked.

Thank you^^