Loose teeth in adults aren’t normal. Typically, they’re a sign that there may be something seriously amiss in your oral health or that you’ve suffered some sort of dental injury. If you have a loose permanent tooth, you need to get it checked out right away by your dentist so that they can quickly determine what’s causing it and the best treatment options. In case you’re wondering, it’s entirely possible for your dentist to preserve a loose tooth as long as you take immediate action and make an appointment as soon as you discover that your tooth is loose or about to fall out. Also, there are certain things you should avoid doing if you have a loose tooth. Keep reading to learn more.
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If you’re an adult with a loose tooth, then it’s imperative that you take certain measures to prevent the problem from getting worse. First and foremost, you need to refrain from rubbing your tongue against the tooth or wiggling it because this will cause it to become detached from the socket and eventually fall out. A lost tooth could cause potentially serious oral infections in your mouth which can spread to all of your teeth and cause gum inflammation, bleeding, soreness, and redness.
There are numerous reasons that your adult teeth might become loose. Many adults experience this phenomenon at some point or another and it can be quite jarring because no one ever anticipates that it’ll ever happen to them. If you suspect that one or more of your teeth might be loose due to one of the following reasons, then you need to set up an appointment with your dentist immediately.
Gum disease is one of the many culprits responsible for loose teeth in adults. It’s an advanced form of untreated gingivitis, which is a bacterial infection that occurs throughout the mouth. Symptoms of gingivitis and gum disease include inflamed, red, bleeding gums that tend to gradually recede backwards and away from the teeth. The more exposed your teeth become from gingivitis, the more susceptible they are to rotting, loosening, and eventually falling out altogether.
During pregnancy, the female body releases excess amounts of progesterone and estrogen. An abundance of these hormones can wreak a lot of havoc on a woman’s oral health because they reduce bone and tissue density of the periodontium. The periodontium is the group of ligaments and bones in the mouth that secure the teeth and gums in place. If these become compromised, then pregnant women will inevitably experience some form of tooth looseness or loss.
Whether you were injured in a car accident or suffered a sports injury, experiencing any kind of a blunt force trauma to the face can cause serious repercussions for your oral health. It can either loosen one or more of your teeth or simply knock them out altogether, leaving your oral cavity prone to potentially serious infections. If left untreated for too long, these infections can then spread to your other teeth and cause them to fall out as well.
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a highly treatable habit that can be caused by a wide variety of conditions including stress, anxiety, crooked teeth, or an abnormal bite (overbite or underbite). Unfortunately, teeth grinding usually occurs while you sleep which usually means you have no control over it unless you happen to wake yourself up in the middle of the night. Your dentist might recommend that you wear a mouth guard at night to prevent you from grinding your teeth so vigorously or even at all.
Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the internal structure of the bones, depletes their density, and causes them to become porous, this includes the jawbone. Once the jawbone’s density has been compromised, can become loose and eventually fall out altogether if the condition isn’t treated within an appropriate amount of time. Medications that are used to treat osteoporosis can also lead to loss of bone density. Bisphosphonates are drugs that are meant to help replenish and treat bone loss can also cause osteonecrosis in the jaw, which also leads to loose teeth.
As mentioned, loose teeth are totally treatable as long as you schedule a dental exam immediately. The sooner your dentist is able to examine the situation, the faster they can diagnose the problem and treat it accordingly. A loose tooth is typically a symptom that there may be a far worse dental health issue that you’re not aware of at play, so don’t hesitate to get it checked out.
While it’s entirely possible for a slightly loose tooth to heal on its own as long as you don’t play around with it or touch it too much, other than to adjust its positioning, you should still inform your dentist about it so they can determine if any further treatment is necessary.
Yes, under very specific circumstances a loose tooth can be saved. You need to make sure you continue holding the tooth in its correct position until you can get to your dentist’s office for treatment.
No, it’s not normal for you to be able to move your teeth even a little bit.
Princeview Dental Group has been a fixture of The Kingsway neighbourhood for more than 20 years. We handle all kinds of dental procedures and emergencies including loose tooth pain relief and treatment. We’re always open to welcoming new clients to our clinic. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please contact us.
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