When you are a child, your first loose tooth can be a cause for celebration; when you are an adult, it definitely isn’t.
Loose teeth in adults occurs when a tooth loses support and slowly detaches from the gums and bone. The slightest touch may cause the tooth to move, and eating or chewing can cause further loosening.
Any tooth that becomes loose is at risk of needing to be removed or, at worst, falling out.
Biting and chewing with a tooth that is not securely attached in its socket can be difficult or even painful.
If you develop a loose tooth later in life, you may experience other symptoms as well. These include:
bleeding gums
swollen gums
red gums
gum recession
These symptoms can indicate an underlying disease.
The most common reason for tooth looseness is Periodontal disease — (a bacterial infection of the gum and/or bone)The infection results from bacterial plaque that sits on your teeth in the absence of effective oral hygiene.
Over time, periodontal disease will cause gum tissue to detach from the teeth as plaque and tartar formation increases and tooth-supporting bone is lost. As more bone is lost, teeth gradually become loose and are unable to withstand normal biting forces. If severe periodontal disease remains untreated, loose teeth will eventually fall out.
Another common contributor to the loosening of teeth is a clenching or grinding habit that generates too much biting force. This force can stretch the periodontal ligaments that join the teeth to the supporting bone, making your teeth looser. These habits can accelerate bone loss and also cause jaw pain and excessive tooth wear.
Other causes can be due to pregnancy, injury/trauma, Osteoporosis
Treatment:
Treatment depends on what is causing your teeth to loosen.
If you have gum disease, you’ll need to undergo scaling and root planning, which is a special cleaning procedure that removes hardened plaque under the teeth and gums. You may also be prescribed antibiotics to kill any infection that may be present.
If your bone is deteriorating due to osteoporosis or other issues, you may need bone grafting. This is an oral surgery that takes either biological bone material or artificial biocompatible material to build up the jawbone so that it can support your teeth.
If the tooth has not completely detached from your gums, it may be saved with a process known as splinting. In this procedure, the dentist will use a piece of metal to attach two teeth together.
If you have loose teeth due to bruxism, there are a couple of options.
First of all, the dentist may be able to adjust your bite by removing some of the tooth enamel from the bite surface. This reduces the pressure on the tooth, which allows healing. Another option for bruxism is to wear a nightguard to prevent the teeth from grinding together while you sleep.
For an adult, a loose tooth can be alarming. However, it is sometimes possible to save the tooth, especially when the problem is detected early.
If a tooth is lost or requires removal, a number of restorative methods can give the appearance of a natural tooth.
Dr Rochelle Sequeira,
ward 16