Respiratory tract infections and concomitant pericoronitis of the wisdom teeth

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Abstract
Objective: To discover if there is an association between respiratory tract infections and pericoronitis of erupting third molars in young adults. Design: Data from male military conscripts' medical records were collected over five years and the incidence of respiratory tract infection before and after acute pericoronitis (191 cases) and before and after standard (722 cases) and operative (741) extractions compared with that in controls (n = 703) who had no infections in the third molar regions. Subjects: 14500 male military conscripts aged 20. Setting: Garrisons in Valkeala and Kouvola, Finland. Results: The incidence of respiratory tract infection was significantly higher during the two weeks before acute pericoronitis was diagnosed compared with that in controls. The highest incidence was observed in the three days before pericoronitis (odds ratio 6.8; 95% confidence interval 3.0 to 15.0). The incidence was also increased in the first week after pericoronitis (odds ratio 3.7; 1.6 to 8.4) and three days before (odds ratio 2.6; 0.9 to 7.5) and during the first week after extraction of third molars (odds ratio 2.6; 1.3 to 5.3). Conclusions: Respiratory tract infection may precipitate and occur concomitantly with acute pericoronitis. Third molar surgery for pericoronitis, on the other hand, may trigger respiratory tract infection. Key messages A possible link between respiratory tract infections and pericoronitis of the wisdom teeth has not been studied before Respiratory tract infection and pericoronitis seem to occur concomitantly Partly erupted wisdom teeth which are unlikely to erupt should be extracted before pericoronitis develops and to avoid a possible episode of respiratory tract infection