I noticed Sunday night that my gums were starting to feel sore in one area. I had eaten popcorn but never noticed a husk going up into my gums so I wasn't sure if my gums were just sore for some reason. Over the next few days my gums got more sore and swollen and red. I was too afraid to try to floss it out b/c I thought I would push it up higher, and that my gums would naturally rid of it, plus I was sure that it was behind my permanent retainer which makes it very difficult. Finally last night my gums got REALLY swollen and were starting to cover my teeth, so I used my WaterPik flosser..my gums were gushing blood and it was so painful, but pretty soon I saw a little piece of popcorn husk in the sink. I felt so relieved, and the swelling is going down.

My question is will I need antibiotics to clear the infection? Or can I just stick to saltwater rinsing, in addition to frequent brushing and WaterPik-ing?

Thanks