What Should I Do If My Adult Tooth is Loose?

An adult tooth can loosen for many reasons. However, unlike baby teeth, adult teeth aren’t supposed to fall out.

While a loose tooth may not seem like a dental emergency, ignoring it is never a good idea. 

Our prosthodontist, Dr. Ramin Mahallati, and our team offer a range of restorative and cosmetic dentistry services at the Center for Implant & Esthetic Dentistry in Beverly Hills, California.

What to do if your tooth is loose

If your tooth becomes loose or damaged due to trauma or an injury, schedule a dentist appointment as soon as possible. Depending on the force of the impact or extent of the damage, the tooth can become infected or even fall out. 

Even minor to moderate trauma can damage your tooth and cause internal damage to the pulp. The blood vessels and soft tissue inside each tooth can become inflamed and infected when a small crack or fracture allows bacteria to reach the dentin layer.

You may be unable to tell the extent of the damage on your own, so it’s important to get to the dentist as soon as possible to fix a loose tooth and rule out further damage.

Your tooth is loose, but you didn’t have an accident

Suppose you suddenly notice one or more loose teeth but didn’t have an accident. In that case, periodontal (gum) disease may be the culprit. While gum disease can be managed and even reversed when it’s caught early (gingivitis), as it progresses, it causes permanent damage that can ultimately result in tooth loss.

If it’s been more than six months since your last trip to the dentist, and you notice any symptoms like swollen gums, bleeding, unexplained bad breath, receding gums, or loose teeth, schedule an appointment immediately.

While not necessarily reversible, advanced gum disease is treatable, and many options are available to fix damaged teeth to improve oral health.

Osteoporosis

While osteoporosis is generally associated with the large bones and joints in the body, it can also attack the jawbone and temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Bone loss in your jaw due to gum disease or osteoporosis can cause teeth to loosen and eventually fall out.

Protect yourself from tooth loss

A healthy diet and lifestyle, good oral hygiene habits, and preventive dental care are the best tools against gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth loss. If you play contact sports or any physical activities that put you at risk of trauma to your teeth, consider investing in a sports guard for an added layer of protection.

For more information about gum disease prevention and treatment and to learn more about dental implants and the restorative and cosmetic dentistry services we offer, contact us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mahallati at our office in Beverly Hills.