Have you just noticed that one (or more) of your teeth is loose? While a loose tooth may not be a big deal for children who are still on their milk teeth, the same does not hold true for adults. In fact if one of your teeth is loose you should immediately contact your dentist and book an appointment and check it out.
If you aren’t careful you may permanently lose a tooth – or the loose tooth itself may even be a sign of a much worse underlying condition.
Causes of Loose Teeth
Teeth don’t just become loose for no good reason. And identifying the cause of your loose teeth is the key to treating it.
Naturally one of the potential causes of loose teeth is injury. If you’ve recently fallen and hit your mouth or facial area it may have dislodged your teeth. It is normally easy for a dentist to identify.
However in some cases loose teeth aren’t because of injury – but due to gum disease. As gum disease progresses your gums will start to recede and your jawbone will deteriorate. Because of that your teeth will lose support and become loose.
Normally your dentist will be able to check for gum disease by examining your mouth for tartar buildup and checking the space between your teeth and gums. It may be necessary to take an x-ray to determine whether or not the bone is deteriorating.
Last but not least, loose teeth can also be caused by unconsciously grinding and clenching your teeth on a regular basis. It can damage your teeth and eventually make them come loose.
Once the reason behind your loose teeth is identified, your dentist can determine how to treat it.
Treatment for Loose Teeth
Unless the damage is too severe, loose teeth can be treated in most cases. If it is caused by an injury the normal treatment is to splint the tooth in place and let the area heal – which will typically take a few weeks.
On the other hand if your loose teeth are due to grinding, your dentist may recommend you wear a mouth guard when you sleep. It will protect your teeth from being damaged due to grinding.
Finally if you have gum disease the treatment may be a bit more involved depending on the severity of your condition. Aside from deep cleaning to remove the infected tissue you may also need flap surgery or bone grafting.
Final Words
As long as you take action quickly when you notice a tooth a loose, you should be able to keep it. Be sure to book an appointment with your Greenwich dentist or one in a location nearby to get it checked out and then discuss your options with them.
No matter what you do you shouldn’t panic just because a tooth is loose. Keep in mind that even if the tooth needs to be extracted, there are many ways that it can be replaced nowadays.
