Have you ever felt like something’s different with your teeth? Perhaps that a few of your teeth aren’t as stable as they used to be – that they are loose? You might be hoping (and praying) that it’s nothing serious and that it’ll go away. However, it could be something a little more serious.
It could be gum disease. While a loose tooth is no cause for alarm in children, in adolescents and adults, it almost always signifies an underlying issue.
So if you have wobbly teeth or experience bleeding in your gums, it’s time to get it checked and treated early on to prevent further complications like tooth loss.
How Does Gum Disease Cause Loose Teeth?
One of the main reasons behind loose teeth in adults is gum disease. Also known as Periodontitis, gum disease starts when plaque (a sticky film of bacteria) builds up in your mouth.
When plaque continues to accumulate in your mouth due to bad oral hygiene, it can lead to a chronic infection that damages the soft tissue around your teeth. As a result, your teeth may begin to feel loose and wobbly. Left untreated, it can escalate to tooth decay and even tooth loss.
How Can Gum Disease Be Treated?
Professional Deep Cleaning
When plaque accumulates, bacteria can also sneak below the gumline, creating pockets that trap bacteria. It’s not good news for your smile and oral health.
That’s where a deep cleaning (scaling) comes in. Our dentist will gently remove bacterial buildup in these pockets – the places your toothbrush can’t reach – and plaque and tartar along the gum line.
Your gums might feel a little sensitive or sore for a few days, which is normal. We will schedule another appointment to measure progress and how your gums have healed.
Root Planing
This treatment is a deeper cleaning used to smooth out the roots of your teeth. Not only does it help remove bacteria and tartar, but it also helps the gums heal and reattach, making it harder for bacteria to stick in the future.
A root planing is typically carried out under a local anaesthetic to prevent discomfort.
Antibiotic Treatment
Depending on the stage of gum disease, we might also add antibiotics to your treatment plan to control infection. This is to prevent the infection from spreading to other areas of the body, because it can then affect your heart and immune system.
Bone Grafts
If gum disease has reached advanced stages and damaged the bone already, a bone graft can help stimulate and rebuild the bone. The procedure involves placing bone graft material (either from your body, a donor or a synthetic source) and covering it with the gum.
While these treatments are effective in treating gum disease in its early stages, the effects of severe gum disease are hard to reverse. Therefore, it’s always recommended to focus on prevention by maintaining a good dental hygiene routine that includes daily brushing and flossing along with regular dental visits.
What are the Other Causes of Loose Teeth?
While gum disease is the main and most common culprit behind loose teeth, there are others too. These include:
- Osteoporosis: This condition can affect the density of your jawbone and cause loose teeth.
- Bruxism: Also known as teeth grinding, bruxism is a condition where you clench or grind your teeth. The excessive pressure this puts on your teeth can lead to loosened teeth.
- Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you may be at a higher risk for loose teeth and tooth loss. This is because high blood sugar levels are a major risk factor for the development of gum disease.
- Dental Trauma: Injury or trauma to your mouth can cause damage to the supporting bones and tissue, leading to loose teeth.
Loose Teeth Treatment at Ashgrove Dental
It’s easy to hope that loose teeth will just fix themselves. However, the truth is that loose teeth are usually a sign of an underlying problem. It’s your body saying something’s not right here.
At Ashgrove Dental, we believe in early prevention. When you come to us, our friendly dental team will get to the root of the problem and create a personalised treatment plan to protect your smile.
So, don’t wait for things to get worse. The sooner you act, the better chances we have of saving your natural tooth.
Concerned about gum disease or loose teeth? Get in touch with us today.
