Why is my molar loose?
While some people’s teeth can loosen, or even fall out, because of trauma or injury, most commonly, people have loose teeth because they have gum disease. Gum disease is caused by the accumulation of damaging bacteria and dental plaque on the teeth, especially at the gum line. Bacterial plaque can be cleaned from the teeth, which is one of the reasons it’s so important to brush and floss your teeth diligently, but small deposits of plaque can be left behind, where the bacteria can colonize and spread and can also calcify and cause inflammation in the gums. These calcified deposits, known as tartar, can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist in a clinical setting. Because plaque consists of bacteria that feed on starches and other food debris, the areas that are primarily used for chewing, particularly the molars, may be more susceptible to bacterial exposure. These chewing surfaces may also be particularly difficult to clean with routine brushing and flossing, both because the surfaces are uneven and craggy and because these teeth are located at the back of the mouth, where it can be difficult to reach. If your molar is loose, it’s probably a sign of gum disease. Usually, by the time gum disease has progressed enough to cause a tooth to loosen, there are other symptoms present; keeping an eye out for these symptoms and addressing them promptly with your dentist could mean preventing the teeth from loosening in the first place.
The molars aren’t the only teeth that could loosen in the presence of gum disease. The front teeth and the gums that protect them are also susceptible to bacteria, particularly when consumed in sugary beverages that pass directly past and through the front teeth. When they are not extracted, the wisdom teeth, which are the molars located farthest back in the mouth, could erupt at cramped or inconvenient angles, creating perfect traps for colonies of destructive bacteria; this is just one of the reasons wisdom-tooth extraction is so frequently recommended.
Gum disease may not have noticeable symptoms in its earlier stages. While twice-daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste and daily flossing can help keep gum disease at bay, routine dental checkups and cleanings are an integral part of the detection and prompt treatment of gum disease when it is still reversible. Especially when gum disease appears largely asymptomatic, dentists can detect early signs and stop gum disease in its tracks. Once symptoms are present, gum disease may still be reversible, and prompt dental attention is still the best approach. Common symptoms of gum disease include bleeding gums, especially when brushing or flossing, which may only appear intermittently or may be consistent. Gum disease can also make the gums appear swollen or inflamed, and this inflammation could be painful. Brushing or flossing swollen gum tissue or consuming very sugary or hot foods or drinks could cause the tissue to flare in pain or discomfort and could damage the gum tissue. Over time, the gum line may recede, making the teeth appear lengthened and exposing a portion of the tooth root.
Gum disease can be treated with a variety of different procedures, used alone and in combination. Dental deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, can help reverse the damage of gum disease, and, when the gums have begun to deteriorate or recede from infection, gum surgery can help prevent the progression of bone loss and slow or halt advanced gum disease. Dentists might save loose teeth with dental splints, which rely on adjacent teeth to support a compromised tooth, or they might need to perform bone graft surgery to repair the bone that has been destroyed by advanced gum disease. Regardless of the type of treatment, early diagnosis is instrumental to the efficacy of treatment, so see your dentist right away if you notice that one of your teeth feels loose or if you notice any of the other common symptoms of gum disease.