How To Handle A Loose Adult Tooth

Your first loose tooth was exciting as a youngster, but a loose one as an adult can be scary. Primary teeth usually loosen and fall out, but you don’t have another set underneath your permanent ones since they can’t regenerate. You need adult teeth for the rest of your life.

If you can gently shift a loose tooth, act fast. Find out how to handle the situation to save your smile. Here, we are providing some tips by San Antonio Family Dentist that can surely help you manage your loose tooth.

Causes of Loose Adult Teeth

A loose tooth may be caused by advanced gum disease. It is a bacterial infection of gums, tissue, and bones. Poor dental hygiene causes gum disease. If you don’t brush or floss regularly or skip dental cleanings, tartar can build up under your gums. This illness is curable.

Early detection can kill an infection, stop inflammation, and restore tooth health. Untreated gum disease can deteriorate bone. Your teeth will loosen without support. Gums that bleed, hurt, or are red also indicate gum disease.

Your doctor can diagnose gum disease by checking for tartar and measuring pocket depth with a dental probe. According to the San Antonio Family Dentist, the normal depth is 1-3 mm. Higher pocket depth may suggest gum disease. The dentist may request dental X-rays to check for bone loss. Other causes of adult loose teeth:

• Unconsciously grinding or clenching your teeth can damage them and create headaches and face pain.
• Loose teeth can also result from oral or face injuries. If you fall and hit your mouth or experience additional mouth force, this may happen.

Loose Adult Tooth Treatment Options

After determining the source of loose teeth, San Antonio Family Dentist begins treatment. For gum disease, you’ll need professional dental cleaning to eliminate hardened plaque under your teeth and gums.

This method is known as scaling and root planing. You may receive medications to fight infection. Scaling eliminates tartar and germs, while root planing smooths the root surface and reattaches the gums. Surgery may be necessary for severe gum disease. Some options are:

• Mouthguard: The easiest and no-surgery option for dental tooth care is wearing a nightguard. Sleeping with a night guard is one of the best anti-grinding options. It shields the upper and lower teeth.
• Flap Surgery: For scaling and root planing, your doctor makes gum incisions and pulls back gum tissue. The technique attaches gum tissue. This technique prevents tooth loss.
• Bone Grafting: San Antonio Family Dentist uses bone pieces from another part of your body or a special bone grafting substance to mend sick bones in your mouth. It supports teeth.
• Bite Adjustment: This technique removes small portions of tooth enamel to alter the bite surface. This relieves dental pressure, facilitating healing. Grinding-loose teeth can be treated this way.
• Splinting: San Antonio Family Dentist may use a splint to save a loose tooth from the guns. Your doctor bonds two teeth with metal. It supports the loose tooth and prevents movement.

Loose Teeth Can Be An Emergency

Dental emergencies often involve loose teeth, which can take numerous forms. Many result from severe injuries like slips and falls. Others are caused by untreated tooth decay or gum disease. See San Antonio Family Dentist immediately to seek treatment, regardless of the cause.

Precautions for Loose Teeth

1. Don’t play with teeth
It’s tempting to run your tongue or finger over something weird in your mouth, but don’t play with a loose tooth. Despite the impulse, try to keep the tooth still; don’t apply a temporary splint. Try to ignore the tooth.

2. Watch Your Food
Try not to bite or chew until your tooth is fixed. Avoid chewy, sticky, or hard foods, which can break or fall out teeth. It may damage your teeth to a great extent.

3. No Brushing or Flossing
Yes, you read it correctly. Although brushing or flossing a loose tooth can worsen the issue, you must nonetheless clean your mouth. Gently brush and floss your other teeth and rinse with warm salt and water.

4. Call the Dentist
To avoid extractions, your dentist will examine your smile to determine the instability. As every scenario is different, there is no “one size fits all” therapy plan. Your dentist may stabilize and restore an injured tooth.

Conclusion

If gum disease causes oral health problems, San Antonio Family Dentist will make a customized treatment plan. Despite their best efforts, they will discuss dental implant possibilities if your tooth cannot be saved. Do not delay seeing your dentist.