Loose Tooth – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

While a loose tooth is typical in children, conspicuous looseness in adults can cause concern. This can occur when the teeth lose grip and become detached from the gums and bones. Therefore, the slightest touch can cause the teeth to move, and eating or chewing can lead to further loosening.

Loose Adult Tooth

A loose tooth can be accompanied by other signs and symptoms.

If you develop loose teeth later in life, other symptoms you may experience include the following:

• bleeding gums
• swollen gums
• red gums
• gingival recession

Loose teeth in adulthood do not occur without cause, which may indicate an underlying condition. It is important to talk to your doctor about your tooth.

Understanding the cause can help your doctor find appropriate treatment. Other causes for a loose tooth include:

• injury or tooth trauma
• teeth grinding
• osteoporosis
• pregnancy
• gum disease

My Tooth Is Loose But Still Attached

You should book a dentist appointment if you notice looseness after brushing or flossing. They may notice a wobble during routine checkups; in some cases, loose teeth may be due to advanced gum disease.

This is a bacterial infection that attacks the gums and bone tissue. Gum disease is often the result of poor dental hygiene.

If you do not brush regularly and floss or skip regular cleaning, tartar can accumulate in the spaces between your teeth.

If your teeth do not get the support they need, they can become loose. Early signs of gum disease include bleeding gums and painful redness.

If left untreated, gum disease can progress and lead to bone loss. If the infected area is diagnosed early, you can get treatment to kill the infection, stop the inflammation and restore the health of your teeth.

Diagnosis

Your doctor or dentist can diagnose whether your loose tooth is due to gum disease. They will start by examining your mouth for tartar formation and using a dental probe to measure the depth of individual pockets.

Your pocket depth is the space between teeth and gums, with a normal depth of one to three millimeters.

If the depth of the pocket is too large, this can indicate gum disease. Your dentist may order a dental X-ray to check for bone loss.

Prevention

Loose teeth may be prevented. For example, the first step is your daily dental hygiene, such as daily brushing and flossing.

Together with regular checkups and cleaning, this can prevent the possibility of loose teeth.

Another way to prevent a damaged tooth caused by injury or trauma when exercising or doing contact sports is to wear the right equipment.

This could be a head guard or a mouthguard to protect your teeth from collisions and cracks.

Loose Tooth Treatment

There are many causes for loose teeth in adulthood, and the necessary treatment may vary depending on the cause. If you suffer a fall or injury to the mouth or face, the tooth may detach from its roots and require dental surgery or splinting.

The injury can heal after a while, so you can continue your life after recovery. The tooth can also slowly heal for a while so that you can continue normal activities after recovery.

Another cause of loose teeth in adults is gnashing or grinding, which can damage teeth and cause other complications such as headaches and facial pain.

Your dentist or doctor may prescribe you a mouth guard to wear at night while you sleep, sleeping aids, or muscle relaxants.

In some cases, loose teeth can be accompanied by a bad taste in the mouth, painful gums, and persistent bad breath.

This could be an indication of gum disease. Waiting too long to visit the dentist can make the problem worse. In severe cases, patients may need more extensive treatment, including the removal or replacement of teeth.

This is a serious condition that requires intensive treatment. Deep cleaning is required to remove infected tissue and bacteria from teeth, gums, and mouth. Cleansing is intense, and you may need to take months to recover.

Gum disease surgery aims to remove inflamed gum tissue and bone damage caused by gum disease.

Bone transplants can help rebuild bone loss caused by the disease. Soft tissue grafts, also called gum grafts, can prevent further gum and tooth loss in people with this disease.

Be aware of the causes of gum disease and how to care for your teeth to prevent them. Know that people with osteoporosis and diabetes are more susceptible to dental problems.

A dentist can restore a smile with a dental bridge when a tooth falls out. The bridge connects two healthy teeth, and a prosthesis (artificial tooth) is placed over the missing tooth.

Another type is a crown that fits over the tooth on both sides of the loose tooth. A dentist can also provide a dental implant. This is an artificial tooth root that is connected to the jawbone.

Although these options can be effective, it is important to treat the underlying cause of tooth loss and, if necessary, to take further steps to prevent further damage.

Loose Tooth – FAQs

Below are frequently asked questions about a loose tooth.

How To Fix A Loose Tooth?

If you notice a tooth is wobbly, you should consult your dentist for further diagnosis. Depending on the cause of your detached tooth, treatment could include the following:

• tooth splinting
• a night guard
• a bite splint
• scaling or root planing (deep clean)
• prescribed medications or mouthwash
• surgery
• bone or soft tissue grafts
• medication for diabetes management
• dental bridges (crown, prosthetic or artificial tooth)
• dental implants

My Front Tooth Is Loose. What Can I Do?

If your front tooth is loose, consult your dentist for a diagnosis. You may have an option to have an artificial crown, or dental bridge fitted.

How To Get A Loose Tooth Out?

It is not recommended to pull your own loose tooth out. You could cause more damage. Book an appointment with your dentist.

Can A Loose Tooth Be Saved?

Yes, it is possible to save a loose tooth. However, this depends on the cause of your loose tooth. A dentist will be able to perform tests to diagnose whether there is an underlying cause for your loose tooth.

How To Tighten A Loose Tooth?

There are several ways your dentist can tighten and strengthen a loose tooth. These include medication, mouthwash, scaling and root planing, or soft tissue and bone grafts.

Why Is My Tooth Loose?

As previously stated in this article, a loose tooth could have numerous causes. The most common causes include:

• injury or tooth trauma
• teeth grinding
• osteoporosis
• pregnancy
• gum disease