Why is one of my teeth loose?
As an adult, it can be very unsettling to have a loose tooth. When you have a loose tooth, lots of ideas start popping up in your head fromthe possibility of losing it, how costly it’s going to be, oreven a health concern.
Permanent teeth can become loose for different reasons including – but not limited to – grinding, biting on things that are too hard, injury or gum disease. If you have any worries and you feel that you need to seek help, your local dentist in Parramatta will offer all the assistance you need.
Slightly loose tooth
If the injured tooth is just slightly loose, it will often *tighten up* on its own, there may be a small amount of bleeding from the gum while it heals. Avoid chewing on or biting with that tooth for a few days and stick to soft foods. Don’t wiggle it or try and move it around, except to reposition it if it is crooked. If the tooth hasn’t tightened up in a few days, your dentist in Parramatta will examine it to make sure nothing serious has happened.
Grinding
If you grind your teeth and you find one is loose, talk to your dentist as soon as possible. Grinding issues are usually easy to treat to protect your teeth and prevent additional injury.
Gum disease
It is one of the most common causes for an unexplained loose tooth. Gum disease begins as gingivitis which is an infection that causes tender, red gums that bleed during brushing. If left untreated gingivitis may advance to periodontitis which results from a build-up of plaque and tartar on the teeth above and below the gum line. When not removed, bacterial toxins from the plaque continue to irritate and destroy the gum tissue. When this happens gums bleed and start to recede and move away from the teeth, forming pockets that hold the bacteria and worsen the infection.
If you have not had an injury to your teeth and you don’t grind your teeth, you should see your dentist in Parramatta to check for your gum health, especially if you are experiencing any of these symptoms –
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Gums that bleed during and after brushing your teeth
- Receding gums
- Persistent bad breath, or a bad taste in your mouth
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
- Changes in the way your teeth fit together when biting down, or, in the fit of a partial denture
Very loose or knocked out teeth
If your tooth is chipped, fractured, almost falling out, or has fallen out – this is a dental emergency and you should see your dentist immediately. To save the tooth it must be put back in its socket as soon as possible.
- Rinse off the tooth with water or saline – don’t scrub it – and hold it only by the white crown, not the root
- Replace it in the socket facing the right way
- Press down on the tooth with your thumb until the crown is level with the adjacent tooth
- Bite down on a wad of cloth to stabilise the tooth until you can be seen by a dentist
Call Parramatta Dental Avenue on 800 400 55 for emergencies or general enquiries, our friendly team would be more than happy to help.
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