Experiencing the first loose tooth in your childhood is a rite of passage. Every primary tooth will fall out and be replaced by a permanent one. But facing a loose tooth in adulthood can surely cause some concerns. Here what causes and treatments for a loose tooth.

What are a few causes of a loose tooth?

Periodontal disease

Untreated gingivitis can worsen over time and lead to periodontal disease, which can cause teeth to become loose. How? Periodontitis affects your gums and the bones and tissues that support your teeth.

As your gums will separate from your teeth, they can form pockets between the gums and teeth and lead to various infections.

As this evolves, the formed pockets intensify, destroying more bone and gum tissue.

A few symptoms of periodontitis include:

Red, painful, swollen gums

Bleeding gums

Gum recession

Pregnancy

High levels of progesterone and estrogen during your pregnancy can affect tissues and bones in your mouth.

More hormones can change the periodontium bones and ligament collections that support your teeth and align them in place. This can cause one or even more loose teeth.

Teeth injury

A vehicle accident or a blow to your face can harm your teeth and their tissues. This can result in loose or chipped teeth.

In addition, grinding your teeth at night or clenching them during times of stress can wear down the tissues and loosen the teeth.

Most people are unfamiliar with grinding or clenching habits unless they result in jaw pain. A dentist could figure out what's wrong before your teeth are permanently damaged.

Osteoporosis

It is a condition that makes your bones weak and porous. Therefore, even minor impacts and bumps can cause broken bones.

However, osteoporosis generally impacts your hips, wrists, and back; it can even damage your jaw bones.

As the density of your jaw bones decreases, the teeth might fall out or loosen.

Specific medications that help treat osteoporosis can lead to oral health issues, though this is rare. For example, drugs like bisphosphonates can cause loose teeth. This is called “jaw osteonecrosis."

What are the treatments for a loose tooth?

Treatment starts once your dentist diagnoses the main cause of your loose tooth. For example, if you are dealing with periodontitis, you may need a specific dental cleaning to get rid of hardened plaque that has piled up below your gums and teeth. This is called root planning and scaling. You might also get antibiotics to kill any infection. Scaling helps get rid of bacteria and tartar, while root planning makes it easier for your gums to reattach and smooth the surface of your roots.

Based on the seriousness of periodontitis and other causes. Options include:

Flap surgery

For the root planning and scaling procedure, your dentist cuts into your gums and pulls out the gum tissue. This can help prevent tooth loss.

Bone grafting

Your dentist can use a specific bone grafting material or bone fragments from another body part to restore damaged bone in the mouth in cases of bone deterioration. This supports your teeth.

Splinting

If your loose tooth hasn’t been removed from the gums, your dentist might be able to treat a loose tooth with the help of splinting. In this procedure, a dentist uses a metatarsal piece to fuse two adjoining teeth. This provides support to the loose teeth and restricts them from moving.

Bite adjustment

This process reshapes the tooth’s bite surface by detaching small amounts of your tooth enamel. This relieves pressure on the tooth, promoting quicker healing. This is an ideal treatment if grinding is the main cause of your loose tooth.

At Grandview Dental Clinic, our main motive is to provide high-quality dental treatments to all our patients. So, if you are concerned about your loose tooth, feel free to contact us! Our friendly and highly trained staff will ensure you get the best care for your dental problems, no matter what.

Causes and Treatments for a Loose Tooth