When it comes to loosen teeth, they are a pretty common occurrence in children. After all, baby teeth are supposed to be pushed out and replaced by adult teeth. But, a loose tooth in adults is not normal, since adult teeth should be permanent and last a lifetime.
There are a number of reasons for loose tooth in adults, but the most frequent cause is that the tooth has lost the natural support in the jawbone and gums. When this occurs, the tooth will slowly detach from the gums and eventually fall out.
Of course, this is not the only reasons. A loose tooth in adults can also happen if you were, for example, in a car accident, suffered a head trauma or sports injury.
According to some data, it is estimated that adults in the US (between 20 and 64 years) have an average of 25 teeth. Normally, we have 32 teeth in total and if you had your wisdom teeth pulled, you should have 28. So, on average, you’re missing 3-4 teeth.
Loose tooth in adults can also be a painful and annoying experience. But there are a few things you can do in order to remedy this.
What are the symptoms of loose tooth in adults?
When a tooth is loose, it should move even if you touch it slightly. The tooth can even become more lose when you eat, bite or chew and it can also be incredibly painful.
Aside from tooth moving, other signs of a loose tooth in adults can be bleeding, gum swelling, redness and gum recession. All these symptoms, are usually an indication of an underlying issue so it’s important to schedule and dental appointment with your dentist as soon as possible, in order to identify the cause of this problem.
What are the most common causes?
We mentioned before, that a loose tooth in adults can be caused by any number of reasons. This can include (but are not limited to):
Loose tooth in adults caused by physical injury
Aside from trauma (car accident, sports injury or head trauma), teeth grinding (or Bruxism) can also be one of the culprits for a loose tooth. Teeth grinding usually happens while we’re asleep. If you’re grinding your teeth severely, they care wear down and become loose. So if you’re aware that you’re grinding your teeth during sleep, we highly recommend that you buy yourself a bite guard or try other techniques that could help you relax the jaw muscles or alleviate stress (if the stress is causing you to grind your teeth).
Gum disease
Periodontitis or commonly known as gum disease, is the leading cause of loose tooth in adults. Insufficient nutrition or poor oral hygiene can easily lead to early stages of gum disease, which, if left untreated can become worse.
In order to prevent this, make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day (or after every meal) and that you have your teeth cleaned every six months. Teeth cleaning is important because even if you have meticulous dental hygiene, there are still places you can’t reach with your toothbrush or dental floss. Furthermore, having regular dental visits (at least twice a year) will ensure that you’re up-to-date on the health of your teeth and that every potential problem will be caught (and treated) in time.
Can you fix a loose tooth in adults?
Before you could attempt to fix a loose tooth, you first need to diagnose what is the main cause of the problem.
If there’s enough supporting tissue around the tooth, there’s an option of re-attaching it. But if there isn’t, then the safest bet would be to extract the tooth and replace it with a dental implant or crown. They both look and feel exactly like a natural tooth and can last for a very long time.
If you’ve experienced some of the symptoms of loose tooth in adults such as bleeding, gum swelling or pain when you eat, there’s a possibility that you might have a loos tooth. Schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible so you could identify the cause and treat it.
