Loose teeth are a common condition that occurs in both children and adults. It is completely normal for children to have loose teeth during the tooth replacement period and there is nothing to worry about. However, if adults have loose teeth, they need to be examined and treated immediately to prevent more serious complications. Let’s find out with BIK International Dental Clinic whether loose teeth can be kept in the following article!
1. Causes of loose teeth
For children, loose teeth during the tooth replacement period from 6-12 years old are completely normal and do not affect oral health. However, in adults, there are many causes of loose teeth and teeth that are no longer as strong as before:
1.1. Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a condition in which the gums become inflamed, causing them to no longer be strong enough to hold the teeth firmly in place on the jaw, causing the teeth to become loose. Periodontitis is often caused by improper oral hygiene habits that cause tartar to form thickly, creating conditions for bacteria to invade and cause disease.
When periodontitis occurs, the gums will change from a healthy light pink color to a dark red color with signs of swelling and redness. In addition, a fairly common manifestation of periodontitis is bleeding when brushing teeth.
1.2. Pregnant women
Women experience a lot of hormonal changes during pregnancy, especially progesterone and estrogen hormones will increase higher than normal. This is the reason why the gums are affected, easily infected, leading to loose teeth. However, if the loose teeth are due to this reason, customers do not need to worry too much.
1.3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a case of calcium deficiency that causes bones to weaken and become brittle. Even small collisions in daily activities can cause bones to break. Osteoporosis affects all bones in the body, including the jawbone. The condition of the jawbone being unstable and weakened causes the teeth to not be fixed and become loose.
1.4. Aging
This is an inevitable condition for everyone when they get old. At this time, the body parts will gradually age and the alveolar bone is no exception. At some point, they will no longer have enough strength to hold the teeth firmly, causing the teeth to gradually become loose.
1.5. External impact
Many people still have the habit of using their teeth as a supporting tool for things like opening water bottle caps, tearing tape, etc., or have bad habits like grinding their teeth while sleeping, which will gradually cause their teeth to loosen.
In cases where teeth are impacted by the external environment such as accidents, falls, impacts, etc., the tissues around the teeth such as the periodontal ligament will be damaged and will no longer be able to hold the teeth firmly.
2. Can loose teeth be kept?
Whether loose teeth can be kept depends largely on the cause of this condition:
2.1. Loose teeth due to aging
In the case of loose teeth due to aging, it is very difficult to treat and there is almost no way to help the teeth become strong again as before. The best solution is for the patient to have a suitable diet and oral hygiene to maintain the longevity of the teeth.
2.2. In the case of loose teeth in pregnant women
In the case of loose teeth in pregnant women, there is no need to worry too much because this condition is due to physiological and hormonal changes in the body. After giving birth, when the body stabilizes, the teeth will no longer be loose.
However, pregnant women should not be subjective because of this but should visit a dentist to find out the cause of loose teeth. If this phenomenon is caused by oral diseases, it still needs to be treated early to avoid premature birth or low birth weight later.
2.3. Cases of loose teeth due to oral diseases
In cases of loose teeth caused by oral diseases, especially periodontal disease, the patient must first completely remove them by scaling. If the inflammation is only mild, the customer can treat it at home with antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor. At the same time, practice proper oral hygiene to achieve maximum effectiveness.
For more severe cases, the doctor may prescribe surgery to remove the inflamed gum tissue or damaged bone. Then, gum grafting is performed to minimize the risk of tooth loss.
2.4. In case of loose teeth due to external force
In case of loose teeth due to external force, if the tooth is not broken, you can use a splint to fix the tooth. Over time, the tooth will become firm again.
3. Oral care to prevent loose teeth
To limit the condition of loose teeth, customers should note the following:
– Brush your teeth at least twice a day, especially after each meal to remove food plaque.
– Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with moderate brushing force to avoid damaging the gums.
– Use toothpaste containing fluoride to support healthy teeth.
– Replace toothpicks with dental floss to remove food debris between teeth, avoiding gum damage.
– Maintain a scientific diet, supplement with necessary vitamins and minerals to support increased resistance to help the body fight harmful bacteria.
– Avoid using teeth to open water bottle caps, bite objects, …
– Limit the use of foods that are too tough, too hard, requiring too much force to bite or tear.
– Visit the dentist regularly at least twice a year to ensure that oral health is checked regularly.
So with the information that BIK International Dental Clinic has compiled above, hopefully customers will know whether loose teeth can be kept. In general, in most cases, doctors will try to take other measures to keep loose teeth because the first principle in dental treatment is to prioritize preserving real teeth as much as possible.
