Unlike our baby teeth, once we lose our permanent tooth, it will never grow back. If you notice that your tooth is moving more than 1 millimeter, that could be a symptom of an underlying dental issue that needs to be checked out. Today we will talk about what to do if you notice that you have a loose permanent tooth.
Can a loose permanent tooth be tightened up?
Many patients wonder if their loose tooth can be tightened up. This greatly varies from the cause of the problem. For example, if a loose permanent tooth is caused by a trauma (maybe you sustained a mild injury) than this should correct itself. Over time, the root of the tooth will heal and the tooth with tighten up on its own. But if you notice that the tooth is severely loose e.g., moves even to the slightest touch, then you should schedule a dental appointment right away.
Depending on the cause, dentists can often stabilize a loose permanent tooth using a special kind of resin. The resin binds the tooth with the adjacent ones on both sides and provides extra stability.
What can cause a loose permanent tooth?
There are many different causes to have a loose permanent tooth:
Periodontitis or gum disease – This is a serious gum infection which can damage the gum tissue causing them to recede. If you leave it untreated for an extensive period of time, the gums can become infected, inflamed and cause your teeth to fall out.
Trauma or injury – If you sustain a trauma or injury to your face or mouth, that ca damage to root of the tooth or the gums surrounding the tooth which can cause a loos tooth.
Weakening of bones – Osteoporosis is not really common in younger adults. But as we age, we lose calcium or Vitamin D from our bones. The bone structure in your jaw can become weaker and your teeth won’t be held in place so strongly.
Hormonal imbalance – When we go through certain changes in our life that can often lead to hormonal imbalance which can manifest in having loose permanent tooth. These changes can occur either during pregnancy or menopause.
Bruxism – Many people around the world, tend to grind their teeth. This is a subconscious activity which usually happens during sleep, but it can also manifest dur to stress. Grinding and clenching our teeth puts additional pressure on them and make them loose over time.
Medication – In order to have strong and healthy bones and teeth, we need to have a sufficient intake of calcium. Some medication hinder our body’s ability to absorb calcium, hence we lose more than we get, making the bone structure in our body weaker and loosing some of our teeth. Longer use of such medication can do serious damage to the strength of our bones.
Diabetes – If you suffer from diabetes and don’t keep in check, it can aggravate your gum disease and cause you to lose teeth.
How to prevent it?
There are a few things everyone can do in order to ensure that their teeth remain healthy and minimize the risk of loose permanent tooth:
- Practice good oral hygiene – brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss them regularly
- Avoid habits that are bad for your teeth such as smoking or chewing tobacco
- If you grind your teeth, make sure that you wear a mouthguard during sleep
- Make sure that you’re in good overall health
- Schedule regular appointments with your dentist at least twice a year.
