It is natural and expected for baby teeth to come loose and fall out. But when an adult tooth gets wobbly, it is not something to overlook. If an adult tooth is loose but still attached, it could indicate multiple oral health issues.
Reasons Why Your Tooth is Loose but Still Attached
A loose tooth stuck to the gum is not something to take lightly. There is always an underlying reason for wobbly adult teeth. Multiple reasons like gum disease and teeth grinding can result in loose adult teeth. Some of these reasons are:
1. Gum Disease
Gum disease can give you partially latched teeth. Regular mouth cleaning is vital to avoid any oral health issues. You should spare some minutes of your day to tend to your mouth by practicing good oral hygiene. Plaque and tartar can develop in your mouth, irritating your gums. Consequently, you might develop gum disease and get loosely attached teeth. Gingivitis, a gum disease, occurs in people who have a poor oral cleaning regime. If neglected, it worsens into periodontal disease. Your tooth can get loose, as the condition affects your gum tissues.
2. Teeth Grinding
You might have a bad habit of grinding your teeth unconsciously. This constant teeth grinding, also called bruxism, can have serious consequences. Thus, teeth grinding can be why your tooth is loose but still attached.
3. Receding Gums
You can develop gum recession, which exposes your tooth’s root. Receding gums can result in partially attached teeth. Hence, your tooth might loosely adhere to the gums as they pull back.
4. Injury
An accident or injury can leave an impact on your tooth. Sometimes, they break or chip away. But other times, you might find yourself with a tooth that is loose but still attached. Therefore, a trauma can give you a partially latched tooth.
5. Pregnancy & Menopause
Hormonal changes occur periodically in women. For instance, pregnancy and menopause. It affects their physical health. In addition, they experience changes in their dental health too. A pregnant woman has high estrogen and progesterone levels during gestation, making the jawbone weak. This can cause a tooth to become loose but still attached.
Similarly, a woman makes less estrogen in her menopause. Hence, the tooth becomes loosely attached.
How to Treat Loose Teeth?
A dentist can fix your partially attached tooth. Treatment options include:
- Regular professional deep cleaning might help in the early stages of gum disease. But your dentist might go with scaling or root planing, flap surgery, bone grafts, etc. if it progresses.
- Mouth guard is recommended for bruxism, as no other treatment has been available.
- Soft tissue graft is usually the go-to treatment for receding gums.
- Pain relief or tooth extraction in case of injury, depending on the severity.
- Hormone replacement therapies during menopause can help. The changes during pregnancy are reversible.
What’s the Takeaway?
In conclusion, a loose adult tooth can indicate multiple conditions. Knowing the reasons can help you address the issue. Our dentists at Hermosa Dentistry can help if your tooth is loose but still attached. Dial E. Little York (713) 695-3400, Highway 6 (832) 427-1797, Porter (281) 747-7004, Tomball (832) 328-5651 to schedule an appointment.