There are numerous reasons why one or more of your teeth can loose. A blow to the mouth during sports, accidentally hit of hard objects to the teeth, can make your teeth to loosen. Periodontal (gum) disease is considered to be the most common cause of loose teeth.
Excessive buildup of harmful bacteria along the gum lines can result in gum disease, specifically periodontitis. This advanced level of gum disease can lead to dental problems such as tooth loss and damage to the bones supporting your teeth. Periodontitis causes severe recession of the gums, resulting in a weakened grip on your teeth and exposed tooth roots. Maintaining good dental health is crucial to prevent these issues.
However, apart from accidents and gum disease, dental problems can also cause your teeth to become loose. The unhealthy habit of grinding or clenching your teeth can lead to wearing and cracking of the teeth, as well as damage to your jaw bones. It is important to seek the advice of a dental professional, such as a dentist, to address these issues. Dental implants may be recommended as a solution for replacing missing or damaged teeth.
Normally, our lower and upper teeth are meant to glide together smoothly, touching only when we are chewing food. (1) The habit of frequent teeth grinding also known as bruxism, produces a higher than normal biting forces which wears away teeth enamel.
Although, most people do grind there teeth occasionally when they are angry or disturbed. But if your grinding occurs frequently on a daily basis either during sleep at night or in the daytime, then it’s a medical disorder known as bruxism. Basically, the teeth are strongly attached by ligaments to the jaw bones. Teeth grinding can wear away the teeth enamel, as well as weaken the ligaments attaching the teeth to the bone
The ligaments tend to become weak and stretched by the constant jaw movement and grinding, this can make your teeth to loose. But it’s believed that these ligaments can still be strengthen to restore the strength of your teeth, only if you gums are healthy. It’s more easier to restore loose tooth from grinding. But if your teeth are loosening due to gum disease or accident, then it might be very difficult to restore the health of your gums and teeth.
Having said this, grinding or clenching exerts an extremely amount of pressure and force on the teeth, this can cause the teeth to become loose. This disorder is very common in children and women. Finding the right solution to stop your grinding can help the ligaments to heal and reattached to your teeth, making the loose teeth strong again.
Treatments for loose tooth from grinding
Well, there is no actual treatment to stop bruxism, but it’s possible that you can manage the situation. If it’s you or your child that has bruxism and is experiencing tooth mobility or loose teeth, you may need to visit the dentist’s office for proper oral evaluation to ensure healthy teeth, including baby teeth.
The best suitable action to take will be determine based on the the extent of wear and tear on your teeth, gums or jaw bones. So if you have bruxism, it’s advisable that you contact your dentist. Here are some treatments that may stop bruxism and heal loose tooth from grinding:
1. Splints and mouth guards: this are practical remedies that most dentists recommend to avoid the damage caused by clenching and grinding. Splints and mouth guards are custom-fitted oral appliance, that is usually made from hard acrylic or soft materials. They serve as shield and can fit over your upper or lower teeth. The main aim for wearing either a mouth guard or splint is to reduce teeth grinding and the problems associated with it.
2. Dental repair: in some cases, your dentist might choose to re-shapen your teeth’s chewing and biting surfaces. This procedure is done in order to reduce the impact of teeth grinding and also to prevent generations of extreme biting force and pressure on the teeth. This method can also be recommended if your grinding is as a result of misaligned teeth.
3. Muscle relaxants: if you experience frequent teeth grinding while sleeping, then it might be a sign stress. There are certain behavioral changes and medications that can promote relaxation. Short-term use of medications such as muscle relaxant before bedtime, can help to stop stress-related bruxism. It’s believed that antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications can stop stress or other emotional issues that may be causing your bruxism.
4. Botulinum toxin: this remedy is only recommend if your teeth are loosening severely due to extreme bruxism. Botulism toxin (Botox) can be taken into the body through injection. It helps to stop bruxism and tooth loosening by minimizing spasm in overworked jaw muscles.
Other available home remedies to stop bruxism
5. Try to relax before sleep: if you experience teeth grinding during sleep, cutting down on stress before sleeping can help out. You should try to take a warm bath each night before sleeping. If it’s your child that’s grinding, try to create a relaxing bedtime routine for your child ( warm bath, listening to soothing music and story telling works just fine).
6. Don’t take stimulating substances: am not trying to say that you should avoid such foods or drinks entirely. You should not drink caffeinated coffee, tea, colas, or alcohol just before going to bed. It’s believed that they worsens bruxism at sleep.
7. Don’t chew objects: chewing on stuffs such as pencils or pens or anything that is not food, can make your jaw muscles to get more used to clenching. People that chew frequently on objects apart from food are more likely to grind your teeth.
Well, this are some of the ways to stop teeth grinding. If you are able to stop grinding, there are high chances of saving your loose teeth. Once you have remove the cause or lessen the effects of bruxism, your gums and ligaments will regain their healthy attachment to your teeth. If you wish to learn more about teeth grinding, you can check here – all about teeth grinding.
Reference – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bruxism/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20356100
Richard Smith is a Registered Nutritionist and also a Health Speaker. Richard Smith graduated from The City University of New York. You can learn more about him by Visiting His LinkedIn Page or Follow him on Twitter.
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