Having a loose tooth is only normal for a child’s first set. But if you’re an adult and having a loose front tooth or molar, that’s a pretty alarming situation that needs immediate attention. Do teeth wiggle a little naturally? Well, yes, all teeth are a little bit wiggly because of periodontal ligament fibers. These are wrapped around your tooth root. However, any loosening beyond 1 millimetre is a sign of concern. Several reasons can cause teeth loosening in adults, which may require treatment.
It’s always best to seek professional dental care. And if your tooth moves too much, you should visit an emergency dentist for a quick treatment to tighten back your loose tooth. At Pearl Shine Dental Clinic, we try to accommodate any last-minute appointment requests. We also offer extended hours as needed so that our patients don’t have to live with oral pain.
Indeed, having a loose adult tooth is a troublesome situation. The two most common causes of loose teeth are injury to the mouth and gum disease. Let’s look at each of them and find out how a loose tooth can tighten back up.
Loose Tooth Caused By Injury
You may experience tooth loosening when you accidentally sustained facial trauma. Whether you have experienced a fall or taken an impact on the jaw and face during an activity or a sport, visit your dentist ASAP. For severely loose teeth, you may have to undergo the necessary treatment. However, if your tooth is only a little loose, your dentist may leave it alone to tighten up on its own. Yes, your teeth can likely heal up themselves if they’re only a little loose.
How long does a loose tooth take to heal? In most cases, they can be healed and tightened back within a few weeks. But you need to ensure proper care, such as avoiding chewing on it while it heals. You should also be vigilant to let your dentist know if your tooth’s condition becomes worse. If your teeth are knocked out due to any reason, read our guide: “My tooth fell out; what do I do?“ This article will equip you with the most appropriate measures to save your tooth on time.
Loose Tooth Caused By Gum Disease
Periodontitis, also referred to as gum disease, is a severe gum infection that damages the gum tissue and can destroy your teeth’ supporting bones. If left untreated, this eventually loosens your teeth. It can even lead to tooth loss. So if your teeth feel loose after flossing or with braces, it can be due to untreated gum disease or poor oral hygiene. However, having a wobbly tooth doesn’t necessarily mean you have severe underlying gum disease, and you’ll eventually lose your permanent teeth. That’s what our dentists at Pearl Shine Dental Clinic are here for.
Millions of people suffer from gum disease in the US. We examine and treat patients that are struggling with this condition. We also provide a wide range of solutions to help fight the symptoms and heal your gums. So, if your tooth moves, losing it isn’t always the case. It may be possible to save your loose adult tooth. Even your gum health can possibly be restored. Therefore, if you’re concerned about your gum condition, you should visit our periodontist at Pearl Shine Dental.
Loose Tooth Treatments
How to fix a loose tooth? First, your dentist will identify the cause of your loose adult tooth. Visit our dental clinic in Houston, TX, to learn the actual cause of your loose permanent tooth. Our dentists will suggest the most suitable dental treatment based on your needs and preferences. Most treatments are preventative and serve as a treatment to prevent further progress of teeth loosening.
Suppose you have a periodontal or gum disease. In that case, your dentist will remove hardened plaque via scaling and root planing. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to help eliminate any infection. Tartar and bacteria present underneath your gums and teeth will likely be removed by scaling. In contrast, root planing helps your gums to reattach to your tooth.
Can a loose tooth be fixed? Yes. Your dentist will suggest treatment by assessing the severity of your oral condition. Some of them include:
Antiseptic and Antibacterial Mouthwash
Your dentist may advise you to rinse your mouth with an antiseptic and antibacterial mouthwash. This will help deal with teeth loosening. Moreover, you will likely take antibiotics. This will make your mouth less vulnerable to gum infection and also helps in oral healing.
Scaling and Root Planing
How to fix loose teeth from gum disease? If your loose tooth results from gum disease, your dentist will perform a deep cleaning method. This includes scaling and root planing, which addresses the symptoms of the condition. Scaling is used to remove tartar. Followed by root planing, which smoothes your root surface. This will also help your gums to reattach to the teeth. This method is helpful to reverse gum disease’s progression.
Surgery
Another method is to remove the damaged bone and gum tissues through surgery. This will uplift your oral condition that has ended up in tooth loss or tooth loosening. Your body will then heal and reproduce all lost bones and gums. Or else, you can undergo bone and gum grafting too.
- Flap Surgery: In this surgery, the dentist can also cut open your gums to pull back the gum tissue. This gives easier access to affected tooth roots for scaling and root planing. After that, the gums are reattached to their natural positions. This procedure is beneficial in tooth loss prevention.
- Bone Grafts: In case of lack of bones in your jaw or bone deterioration, your dentist can use bone grafts. This treatment thickens your jawbones. It involves taking fragments of bone from one part of your body and grafting them in your jaw. Your body will then reinforce them by putting calcium deposits over them. This will be cemented further as you heal. This surgery can be effective in supporting your teeth and also helpful for dental implant procedures.
- Soft Tissue Grafts: Likewise, soft tissue grafts work similarly to bone grafts. Gums are placed in areas where gums have receded, maybe because of gingivitis or periodontitis. This procedure also helps in the healing process following scaling and root planing.
- Splinting: How to splint a tooth? If your wiggly tooth is still attached to the gums, you can save it with the help of splinting. In this procedure, a piece of metal is bonded between two neighboring teeth. This results in supporting the loose tooth and preventing it from moving around, thus saving it from falling off altogether.
Bite Adjustment
This procedure reshapes your bite and jaws by removing some amounts of the enamel layer of your tooth. This will reduce the pressure on the loosened tooth, allowing ligament support of your teeth to heal. This treatment is also helpful for people with bruxism (or teeth grinding habit).
Dental Appliances
Another method to protect your teeth from bruxism is to use a mouthguard. Instead of grinding your teeth, these replaceable appliances absorb all the pressure so that your teeth and gums can stay in peace. Not only do mouth guards protect teeth from bruxism, but they can also guard your teeth while playing sports where you might lose a tooth, like in boxing or American football. Moreover, these guards are also helpful in the post-surgery healing process. Altogether this helps save your teeth from loosening or falling off.
Tooth Loss Prevention
How to tighten loose teeth or prevent loosening? As we know two significant reasons behind the loosening of permanent teeth, let’s discuss loose teeth remedies. Nowadays, you don’t have to live with a loose or missing tooth anymore. In fact, you can primarily prevent tooth loosening by simply practicing good oral hygiene habits. Below are some simple tips for stabilizing and preventing loose teeth.
- Brush your teeth after every meal or twice a day. Make sure to have your teeth cleaned before going to bed. Your mouth is vulnerable to bacteria once you sleep. Your saliva is a natural disinfectant and protects your teeth. However, the glands produce a minimum amount of saliva once you sleep.
- Gently floss your teeth daily. Make sure you don’t floss too hard.
- Use an antibacterial and antiseptic mouthwash. This may help eliminate bacteria that make home hard-to-reach areas of your mouth.
- Don’t ignore the hygiene of your tongue and inner cheeks. Clean your tongue as around 60% of oral cavity bacteria live on your tongue and then spread in your mouth.
- Take proper nutrients. Make sure to have a balanced diet and avoid consuming excessive acidic and sugary foods.
- Avoid or at least limit smoking. The primary cause of periodontal disease, smoking can hurt your oral blood supply. Thus, loosening your teeth and damaging gum tissues.
- Go to your dentist for a routine check-up. You should consider professional teeth cleaning once every six months.
Aftercare
The treatments to tighten your teeth may take more than one trip to your dentist’s office. Your dentist will give you aftercare instructions that you need to follow. This will not only help you heal quickly but also help prevent future conditions. You will then return for a follow-up appointment, which allows your dentist to assess your progress. Regardless, it is essential to follow the good oral hygiene practice mentioned above. Keep your mouth clean, consume a healthy diet, and see your dentist for regular cleanings to prevent teeth loosening from reoccurring.
Whether you’ve lost your molar or front tooth or you’re concerned about underlying dental conditions, our dentist will be more than happy to help you. Call us at 281-477-7200 and schedule an appointment with our Houston, TX Dental Office.