THE FIRST WORD

pericoronitis
If left in, wisdom teeth may harbor bacteria, which can damage the bone that supports neighboring teeth, or develop cavities that are impossible to repair. They can also cause a painful condition called pericoronitis, in which the gum around the tooth is infected, which often leads to removal.

Pericoronitis comes from Latin roots meaning "around" and "crown." Is is a stomatognathic disease (from Greek roots meaning "mouth" and "jaw") and may cause trismus (from a Greek root meaning "a scream"), a condition in which the mouth cannot open normally.