Loose Teeth in Adults: Common Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Adult teeth are a permanent part of your teeth that should last a lifetime. If they begin to become loose, it can indicate that there is a serious medical or dental issue that is causing issues with the structure of your teeth. Every tooth root is held firmly in place by a complicated system of healthy jaw bone, strong periodontal ligaments and firm gum tissue. If any of these are affected by disease, trauma or health issues will start to become loose.

Loose teeth in adults fall under the ‘Your Money Or Your Life’ (YMYL) category. They have a direct effect on your overall general health, eating habits and disease risk. Research has shown that long-term oral infections can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and poorly controlled diabetes. If you understand the main causes of loose teeth, know what symptoms to look out for and seek timely, evidence based dental treatment you can save your tooth and protect your overall health.

What Are the Main Causes of Loose Teeth in Adults?

1. How Does Periodontal Disease Cause Loose Teeth?

Periodontal disease is the most common cause of loose teeth in adults. Every day plaque will develop on our teeth. If it isn’t cleaned effectively with a daily brushing and flossing routine, it will harden into calculus.

• Toxins in the tartar will cause chronic inflammation.

• Gingivitis will occur. This causes blood to come from the gums due to them becoming inflamed, red and swollen.

• Untreated gingivitis will progress to periodontitis. This causes your gums to recede from the tooth roots causing deep pockets.

• The bacteria will cause damage to the periodontal ligament fibers and jaw bone due to your immune system going into overdrive. This causes your teeth to become loose.

2. Can Teeth Grinding and Clenching Cause Loose Teeth?

Many adults grind or clench their teeth subconsciously either at night or during stressful periods during the day. This is known as bruxism by dentists.

• This places excessive abnormal pressure on your teeth.

• This causes excessive pressure on the periodontal ligaments causing them to stretch.

• The enamel will wear away causing micro-fractures in the tooth roots.

• If caught early the mobility may resolve if your dentist can stabilize your bite. However if left, it will cause increased permanent bone loss due to gum disease.

3. Can Trauma Cause One or More Loose Teeth?

Physical trauma can cause one or more of your permanent teeth to become loose.

• High impact sports such as basketball, soccer and martial arts cause many injuries to peoples mouths if they don’t wear mouth guards.

• Vehicle accidents, cycling accidents and slips can cause your teeth to become displaced.

• The trauma causes the periodontal fibers to stretch and can cause fractures to the jaw bone.

• Seeking emergency dental treatment within 1 hour will give your dentist the best chance of saving your natural tooth.

4. How Does Osteoporosis Affect Your Teeth?

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects the strength of your bones. It causes reduced bone density throughout your whole body causing fragile bones that break easily.

• Osteoporosis causes reduced bone density in your maxilla and mandible. This causes the sockets which hold your tooth roots to become weaker.

• Women who are going through menopause will suffer reduced oestrogen causing increased bone loss.

• Some osteoporosis medication such as oral/injection bisphosphonates will affect the healing of your jaw bone following invasive treatment. Always tell your dentist your full medical history.

5. Can Hormonal Changes Cause Loose Teeth?

Hormones will affect how your body reacts to bacteria in your mouth.

• During pregnancy progesterone and oestrogen levels are very high. This causes increased blood flow to the gums and your body to react differently to plaque. This can cause extreme swelling and temporary loose teeth.

• The hormones during pregnancy cause ligaments and tissues throughout your body to relax including those in your mouth.

• During menopause oestrogen levels are reduced causing dry mouth, thin tissues and increased bone loss in the jaw.

6. Can Uncontrolled Diabetes Cause Loose Teeth?

There is a strong link between diabetes and oral health.

• High blood sugar levels will cause your white blood cells to weaken meaning your body won’t fight off bacterial infections in your mouth.

• Uncontrolled diabetes will cause reduced blood flow to your gums meaning healing will be slower. This will cause increased bone loss in the periodontium.

• Severe periodontal disease will cause difficulty to control your blood sugar levels.

7. Can a Poor Diet Cause Loose Teeth?

Your body requires certain micro-nutrients to keep your bones, tissues and immune system strong.

• Vitamin C deficiency will cause scurvy. Vitamin C is important in producing collagen which is the main protein in your periodontal ligaments. This will cause bleeding gums and loose teeth.

• Vitamin D and calcium deficiency will cause issues with your jaw bone. Vitamin D helps your intestines absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D and calcium your body won’t be able to keep your jaw bone dense.

What Symptoms of Loose Teeth Should You Look Out For?

• Bleeding gums whilst brushing your teeth. This can be seen as pink bubbles in the sink or bleeding when flossing.

• Bad breath. This indicates that there is a deep bacterial infection.

• Teeth appearing longer. This means your gums and bone are receding from the crown.

• Visible movement of your teeth. This can be seen as gaps forming between your teeth or your top and bottom teeth aren’t meeting correctly.

• Pus draining from near your teeth. This can be seen as yellow liquid coming from swollen gums. This indicates an active abscess.

What Treatments Are Available for Loose Teeth in Adults?

There are many different evidence based treatments available to stop bone loss, clear infections and make your teeth firm again.

• A deep clean will be completed by your dentist. This will remove bacteria from deep below your gums using an ultrasonic instrument. This will smooth the roots.

• Your dentist will glue a thin wire or composite strip to the back of your loose teeth and a stable tooth next to it. This will stabilize the chewing pressure.

• A bespoke night guard will be made to protect your enamel and reduce damage to your periodontal ligaments.

• Periodontists will place natural or synthetic bone grafts into the deep pockets to encourage your body to regrow bone.

• Antibiotic gels will be placed into the deep pockets of your gums to kill the bacteria.

How Can You Prevent Loose Teeth in Adults?

• Brush your teeth thoroughly twice per day using a soft bristle brush and fluoridated toothpaste.

• Floss, inter-dental brushes or a water flosser daily to clean between your teeth.

• Have a professional clean every 6 months.

• Wear a bespoke mouth guard when doing contact sport.

• Wear a bespoke night guard if you suffer from jaw ache, dull headaches or worn enamel when waking.

• Control any systemic issues such as diabetes with your GP.

• Eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C and fresh vegetables.

• Stop smoking. Tobacco use doubles your risk of suffering from severe periodontal disease.

What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Loose Teeth in Adults?

Can Loose Teeth in Adults Become Firm Again?

It is unlikely that your teeth will become firm without professional treatment. If your teeth became loose due to temporary ligament stretching caused by minor trauma or pregnancy then they may become firm with rest. However if they became loose due to chronic bone loss from periodontal disease you will need to seek professional dental treatment to clear the infection and stabilize your root.

How Do Dentists Save Loose Teeth in Adults?

Dentists will carry out a deep clean to remove any active infection. They will stabilize your loose tooth by splinting it with neighboring strong teeth. They will also adjust your bite, provide bespoke night guards and perform bone grafts.

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth an Emergency?

Yes. A loose permanent tooth is an urgent dental issue. If left untreated more bone will be lost due to bacterial infection or your teeth could become fractured meaning they will need to be extracted.

Does It Hurt to Extract a Loose Tooth?

Your dentist will fully numb your tooth, gums and jaw. You will feel slight pressure but no sharp pain.

A loose tooth in adults needs to be assessed urgently by a qualified dental health professional. Whether it is caused by severe periodontitis, chronic bruxism, trauma or a change in your health such as osteoporosis. Early diagnosis will stop further bone loss and protect your natural smile. Work with your dentist to clear any infections, stabilize your teeth and ensure you have a healthy bite.