Causes of Loose Teeth
The problems associated with loose teeth can be painful or embarrassing. Loose teeth can happen for a number of reasons. Fortunately, if treated quickly, loose teeth can be repaired quite easily.
Gum Disease
The bacteria in the mouth that cause plaque can become a significant problem if not dealt with. When plaque invades the gum lines it can turn to tartar, which is harder to remove by brushing or flossing. This tartar can cause infections in the gums and bones that surround and support the teeth, a condition known as periodontitis. Periodontitis is a serious form of gum disease that causes irritation and inflammation in the gums. When the infection has progressed to the bone, it can spread even further and in serious cases become life threatening. The damage caused by the decay can eat away at the structures supporting your teeth, causing teeth to become loose.
Dental Trauma
Accidental impacts to the mouth and face can cause teeth to loosen. Significant damage to supportive ligaments that connect the jawbone and tooth can cause teeth to become loose, break, or even fall out. Smaller or less forceful impacts do not always result in teeth becoming loose right away, sometimes it may take a day or two before you notice a loose tooth after such an injury. It is always important to consult a dentist when mouth injury occurs to determine the extent of the injury and what treatments are available or necessary.
Bruxism
Bruxism is the medical term for grinding your teeth. Grinding teeth weaken the whole structure of the tooth, from biting surface to root. Often the results of chronic bruxism are worn down and loose teeth.
Other Underlying Medical Conditions
There are certain medical conditions that can increase the occurrence of loose teeth. The side effects of certain medications can prevent your body from absorbing calcium, a mineral that is required for strong bones and teeth. Other medical conditions, such as HIV, cancer, and diabetes can increase your risk of gum disease, which in turn increases the chances that your teeth may become loose.
People who become pregnant often experience loose teeth. The high levels of pregnancy hormones, estrogen and progesterone, can cause the teeth to loosen or move about in the mouth. This is usually a temporary symptom and does not often lead to tooth loss.
Osteoporosis is a health condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Bone is a living tissue that is in a process of constant breakdown and replacement, but in patients with osteoporosis less bone is replaced than broken down. When the bone density in the jaw and in the mouth is lessened, teeth can become loose.
It is essential when you feel a tooth loosen that you contact a dental professional. In most cases, your dentist can save a tooth before it is lost when treatment is sought quickly. Failure to seek immediate treatment can cause one loose tooth to become several loose teeth, and in worst case scenarios, those teeth to fall out, requiring more intense and possibly expensive treatment (like dental implants).