Causes of Loose Teeth
People of all ages can experience tooth loss, which often will have a negative effect on a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem. It can result in smiling less, leaving you unsatisfied and sometimes embarrassed. Tooth loss can often start when your tooth detaches itself from the jawbone.
Indeed, having a loose adult tooth is an unfortunate situation. The two most common causes of loose teeth are an injury to your mouth and gum disease.
Common Causes of Loose Teeth
There are a variety of both internal and external factors that can lead to having a loose tooth. Frequent causes include poor dental health, sudden oral trauma of any kind, and underlying conditions. Dental trauma due to an unexpected fall, a sports injury, or another accident is one of the most common causes of loose adult teeth.
* Gum Disease- One common cause of loose teeth is untreated gingivitis. During the initial stages of gum disease, patients will often experience swollen and bleeding gums. This is usually painless, so the more you prolong the problem, it will advance to periodontitis. Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that causes severe inflammation and irritation in your gums. As this disease progresses, your gum tissue slowly deteriorates and eventually loosens your tooth.
* Tooth Trauma- Tooth trauma can easily cause your tooth to loosen. For a minor mouth injury, it takes a day or two for the tooth to loosen and fall out. For harder mouth trauma caused by accidents, it can cause an immediate effect. The damage is inflicted with the supportive ligaments that connect the tooth to the jawbone. It can also lead to a medical condition called bruxism. Bruxism can cause loose teeth because of the constant grinding and clenching.
* Osteoporosis- Another cause can be osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a health condition where the bones in your body slowly weaken and lose density. Loose teeth occur when the bone density around the jaw lessens. People with osteoporosis are more at risk of loose teeth in comparison to others.
* Pregnancy Hormones- Pregnant women can often experience loose teeth because of the higher levels of estrogen and progesterone in their body. These hormones can cause the teeth to loosen and move from side to side. Usually, this situation is temporary and does not lead to tooth loss.
There are many reasons why a tooth would loosen. Teeth do actually wiggle naturally. In fact, all teeth can move because of periodontal ligament fibers.
These fibers are wrapped around your tooth root. Any noticeable loosening is a sign of concern. Schedule an appointment with your dentist for an evaluation to determine what cause might be causing your loose teeth and if it will require treatment.
Exercising good oral hygiene can easily prevent loose teeth by avoiding gum disease. This means brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day. You should also schedule and examination and regular dental cleanings every six months and consult with your dentist if you notice any changes with your mouth, such as bad breath, painful gums, or bleeding gums.