Tooth on the Loose: Do Loose Teeth Require Urgent Dental Care?

20 February 2020
 Categories: Dentist, Blog


Nearly six million Australians are living with untreated dental problems. And unfortunately, untreated dental issues, such as loose teeth, can quickly turn into dental emergencies. Because of the intimate relationship between your gums, jawbone and teeth, teeth are firmly rooted in your jawbone. While some flexibility is normal, teeth that move in the socket loosely are at risk.

But do loose teeth need urgent dental care? The answer is a resounding yes!

Loose Teeth Signal Gum Disease

One common symptom of advanced gum disease (periodontitis) is loose teeth. The bacteria that cause gum disease invade the gum pockets around your teeth, and they slowly but surely begin to destroy the ligaments and bone holding those teeth in place. If you do nothing to halt the spread of the disease, you could lose one or more teeth.

If the roots of your teeth are also covered in tartar or calculus, you probably have gum disease. You need to get to a dentist immediately before you lose the loose teeth altogether.

Loose Teeth Indicate Nocturnal Grinding

If your teeth tend to be looser in the mornings, then you probably suffer from bruxism, or nocturnal grinding. This means that you grind your teeth while sleeping. Because you are asleep, you have no conscious control over how much pressure you exert when bringing your teeth together. As a result, the massive forces you generate while grinding can loosen your teeth in their sockets.

While this might not seem like a dental emergency, you do need urgent dental care. If you do nothing, your teeth could fall out in the near future, especially if you continue to grind teeth that are loose already. Fortunately, your dentist can help you protect your teeth by prescribing a night guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

A Loose Tooth Could Be Badly Decayed

Advanced tooth decay also causes affected teeth to loosen in their sockets. If one or more of your loose teeth have visible decay, this is a dental emergency — unless you don't mind losing teeth. If you act quickly and book an emergency dental appointment, your dentist might be able to remove the tooth decay and repair the tooth.

If you wait any longer, the tooth could also become infected. Then you might have no choice but to remove the tooth anyway. As such, if tooth decay has loosed a tooth considerably, book an emergency dental appointment.

Even if you are not suffering from any pain, loose teeth are an urgent matter. No treatment could soon mean no tooth. Call an emergency dentist today to learn more.


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