pericoronitis

The gum that overlies where your wisdom teeth will erupt, is called peri-coronal gum.

This peri-coronal gum usually painlessly breaks down as teeth erupt.

With impacted wisdom teeth, this gum tissue does not resorb away normally, and is prone to infection and pain symptoms.

As the wisdom tooth is impacted, and cannot normally erupt, dental plaque accumulates, and this is difficult to clean away with normal tooth brushing and flossing.

Stagnant dental plaque then grows. And eventually an infection results.

There is no formal treatment for pericoronitis, except for short term antibiotic care, hot salt soaks... and of course removal of the wisdom tooth.

Pericoronitis can develop into far more sinister forms of local "odontogenic" infections. These are called cellulitis, fascial plane infections, and Ludwig's Angina... to name just a few of the many wider complications that can occur when pericoronitis is left untreated.

If you do have pain, local swelling, and a bad taste in the mouth, around the area of your wisdom teeth, then you need to see a doctor or dentist, and likely also seek a wisdom tooth specialist review.