- Loose teeth in adults can have many causes. These include gum disease, gum recession, bruxism, hormonal and metabolic changes associated with pregnancy, and others.
- To prevent further deterioration, it is important to see a dentist immediately.
- Non-invasive treatments and surgical procedures can help save a loose tooth. These include flap surgery, bone grafting, soft tissue grafting, bite correction, and splinting.
Use Authority Dental to find urgent dental care for your problem. We ensure relief in every dental emergency.
Are you worried about your loose tooth falling out? Here's everything you need to know.
Causes of a loose tooth in adults
Unhealthy oral conditions are often the cause of loose teeth with inflamed gums in adults. Physical injuries can also lead to this problem. Yet, there are also less visible factors that can cause this dental issue.
Gum disease
Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is an infection that begins by affecting the soft tissues that support the teeth. It can then reach the bone surrounding the roots and become the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. About 40 out of 100 adults are victims of periodontal disease.
Schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible if you notice any symptoms of periodontal disease. Bad breath, gingivitis, and bleeding gums are some of them. Heal your gum tissue in the early stages of the disease, and you will be able to save your smile.
Lee explains how gum disease affects teeth: ”I often use the analogy of a lighthouse on a cliff. Your tooth is the lighthouse—strong and sturdy. The jawbone is the cliff upon which it is built. For years, the bacteria from gum disease act like relentless waves, slowly and silently eroding the cliff face.”
”You do not notice the damage at first, but one day, the lighthouse begins to wobble,” he warns, adding that ”the problem is not the lighthouse; it is that its very foundation is disappearing.”
Receding gums
Gum recession exposes the root of teeth in some patients. Receding gums cause sensitivity and increase the risk of decay. Gum disease is one of the most common factors for gum recession. Poor dental care leads to plaque and tartar buildup.
Aggressive and hard brushing can also damage the gums. Misaligned teeth and tobacco consumption can also lead to gum recession. Tongue and lip piercings are other risk factors.
Exposed parts of the teeth roots and sensitivity at the part closest to the gumline of your teeth are signals for a visit to the dentist.
Bruxism
Teeth grinding or clenching is known as bruxism. It puts extra pressure on the teeth and reduces the amount of tooth enamel due to premature wear and tear. This makes the teeth prone to cracking and chipping, and also can cause them to become loose.
Bruxism can be very dangerous to your oral health because it often occurs unconsciously. You might be busy with your tasks or sleep at night with clenched teeth and not notice it. This makes it impossible for you to stop this harmful behavior.
If you experience sensitivity, chipping, or breaking of your teeth, you should consult your doctor. Ask your family and friends if anyone has noticed this habit in you. Wearing a mouthguard while sleeping can help reduce damage.
Pregnancy and menopause
Hormonal and metabolic changes associated with pregnancy and menopause can affect your oral health. As a result, you may even lose your smile.
Pregnancy can cause estrogen and progesterone levels to rise. These hormones affect the health of the soft tissues and bones in your mouth. Menopause often causes dry mouth, which can increase the risk of decay and gum disease.
Check your hormone levels and oral health during pregnancy. If you experience dry mouth during menopause, consult your doctor for assistance.
Injury or trauma
Several incidents lead to traumatic dental injuries and cause severe damage to dental health. It can be any accident that directly affects the jawbone and teeth, like a severe blow to the face.
You can avoid some sports injuries by wearing a special sports mouthguard. Other unfortunate events are beyond our control.
Jaw injuries require immediate medical attention.
Medications
Side effects of some medications range from dry mouth to excessive acidity. Abnormal conditions in your oral cavity can lead to decay and loose teeth.
Some examples of medications that affect oral health are opioid pain relievers and antidepressants. Others include muscle relaxants, decongestants, and medications for high blood pressure.
If you have developed loose teeth after starting a new medication, contact your doctor immediately to discuss adjusting your treatment plan. Do not ignore other symptoms that occur after changing medications.
Loose tooth treatments
You will inevitably lose untreated wobbly teeth. However, there are non-invasive treatments and surgical procedures that can help you save them.
Flap surgery
Flap surgery is an effective treatment method for addressing gum pockets that develop into gum disease.
Gum pockets are areas of affected gums with harmful bacteria that spread to the bone tissue over time. Flap surgery removes the unhealthy tissue. It also includes deep cleaning of the root from tartar and plaque. The procedure’s goal is to help improve oral hygiene and stop bacteria from accumulating and multiplying. This helps the gums regain their natural strength, stabilizing periodontal health.
Bone grafts
If the loose structure is due to advanced gum disease with bone loss, you may benefit from bone grafting. As gum disease progresses, the bone tissue around the roots becomes less rigid. Bone grafts regenerate and strengthen the affected bone. Even if you lose a tooth, you should undergo this procedure. It will enable you to rebuild sufficient jawbone tissue to support a future dental implant.
Your surgeon may use bone tissue from other parts of your body or obtain it from a human or animal tissue bank.
Soft tissue grafts
If gum disease has exposed the roots, you may consider soft tissue grafting to improve your dental health.
This is another standard grafting procedure in dentistry. The surgeon makes an incision directly into the roof of your mouth to collect soft tissue. This tissue will cover the exposed portion of the root to replace the sloughed-off gum.
Bite adjustment
In some rarer cases, your doctor can offer you a bite adjustment if your teeth have become loose due to an incorrect bite alignment.
Bite or occlusal adjustment involves removing interference between teeth and polishing their surface. The procedure helps to distribute pressure evenly in the mouth.
Splinting
Splinting involves connecting a loose tooth to a healthy tooth, so that they form a single, solid, and immobile unit. This, unfortunately, does not address the source of the problem but instead masks it, allowing the patient to at least maintain functional teeth despite the bone loss. Doctors usually perform splinting on the adjacent anterior teeth and use a thin fiber or metal wire to connect them.
Mouth guard
A custom mouth guard helps protect your teeth from bruxism. It is especially necessary if no other treatment is available for the underlying cause of your grinding and clenching.
A mouth guard can also help tighten loose teeth when worn. Be cautious: patients with suspicions of sleep apnea must be evaluated to determine if sleep apnea is present. If it is, other treatments may be necessary in addition to or instead of a mouth guard to help manage the sleep apnea, which is often accompanied by bruxism.
FAQ
What symptoms are associated with loose teeth?
The most common symptoms of loose teeth are sore, swollen gums, and bleeding when brushing and flossing. Gum recession and tooth sensitivity along the gum line are also common. Please note that these symptoms are characteristic of gum disease.
What kind of dentist treats loose teeth?
See your general dentist for an initial diagnosis. Your dentist will recommend other specialists for further treatment of your dental health as needed.
Is it normal if your permanent teeth wiggle a little?
A little wiggle of your teeth is considered normal as long as the movement does not make more than one millimeter. Contact your dentist as soon as possible if the movement is greater.
When is a loose adult tooth an emergency?
It is an anomaly, whether you also experience pain or not. This condition leads to tooth loss. You need to make an urgent appointment with your dentist to save them.
References
- What is periodontitis? - European Federation of Periodontology (efp.org)
- Bone Grafting - Definition, Purpose, Demographics, Description, Diagnosis/preparation, Aftercare, Risks, Normal results, Morbidity and mortality rates, Alternatives". Archived from the original on 2008-10-17.
- National institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research - Periodontal disease in Adults (Age 30 or Older)
Harry Lee, DMD
There are few dental problems that cause more immediate panic than noticing a permanent tooth is loose. It feels fundamentally wrong, and it is. A loose tooth in an adult is rarely a problem with the tooth itself; it is the final, visible symptom of a long-term, invisible crisis happening below the gumline.