Why Is My Molar Loose?
While it is common for a person’s primary, or baby, teeth to become loose and fall out, this isn’t supposed to happen with permanent teeth, so if your molar or another tooth is loose, it’s a sign that something is wrong. While the immediate cause of the loose tooth may vary, the underlying factor that most often contributes to a permanent, or secondary, tooth loosening is gum disease. In some cases, a secondary tooth can loosen because it is placed under excessive force, which can be caused by habitually clenching or grinding the teeth. When gum disease is present and the excessive force of habitual clenching or grinding is also present, the secondary teeth can loosen. Even when the teeth are not subject to excessive force, however, when gum disease is present, the teeth can loosen when exposed to the normal pressures of everyday use. This is due to the destruction that is caused by gum disease, which weakens and gradually destroys the bone and gum tissue in the oral cavity. When the bone and tissues that hold teeth in place are compromised, the teeth can loosen with little to no outside force.
Gum disease is most frequently caused by the accumulation of bacterial plaque on the teeth, which results from a lack of attention to oral hygiene. Plaque can be removed from the teeth with twice-daily brushing and daily flossing, along with regular professional dental cleanings; when plaque hardens and turns into dental calculus, also known as tartar, it can only be removed from the teeth with professional tools in a clinical setting. Despite people’s best efforts, it’s easy to miss some plaque while brushing and flossing, especially at the gum line, and your dental hygienist can clean this bacteria away and reduce the likelihood of gum disease. If you already have a loose tooth, however, you may already have gum disease and should see your dentist to treat the gum disease and address the loose tooth as well.
When a tooth is loose due to gum disease, the dentist will clean the affected tooth and its root, along with the gums that support the tooth, to remove any plaque and calculus that may be present and prepare the gum tissue to heal. Your dentist may also prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to reduce the amount of bacteria that may have accumulated below the gum line. To stabilize the loose tooth, your dentist will either splint the loose tooth or reshape the tooth’s biting surface, and the biting surface of the opposite tooth, to reduce the biting force on the affected tooth while the gums heal. Another option is to put a crown on the loose tooth and on the adjacent teeth and then fuse these crowns together, which holds the loosened tooth in place.
These stabilizing techniques, along with mouthguards to protect the teeth from clenching or grinding while sleeping and certain orthodontic treatments, can help secure the tooth while the bone and gums are healing. With continued treatment for existing gum disease and a modification in dental hygiene habits, it may be possible to save the loose tooth and keep it from falling out. The only way to know this, however, is to work with your dentist. If you notice that one of your teeth is loose, see your dentist right away, and don’t forget to see your dentist for regular checkups, too. In its earlier stages, gum disease can be difficult to detect, but it’s easy to diagnose at a dental checkup, and many people don’t know they have gum disease until a dentist diagnoses it, so see your dentist regularly to ensure the health of your teeth and the integrity of your gums and jawbone.