People of all ages often suffer from tooth loss, which can often leave negative effects on a person’s confidence and self-esteem. It can result in a lacking smile, one that leaves patients unsatisfied and embarrassed. Tooth loss often starts when your tooth starts to detach itself from the jaw bone. So, what are the causes of loose tooth?

Causes of Loose Teeth

· Gum Disease

One cause of tooth loss is untreated gingivitis. During the early stages of gum disease, patients would often experience inflamed and bleeding gums. Although this is usually painless, the more you prolong this problem, it can cause periodontitis.  Periodontitis is a more serious gum disease that causes severe irritation and inflammation in your gum area. As this disease progresses, your gum tissue slowly deteriorates and eventually loosens your tooth, thus leads to tooth loss.

· Osteoporosis

Another reason would be osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a health condition wherein the bones in your body slowly weakens and becomes less dense. Loose tooth often occurs when bone density around the jaw lessens. People with osteoporosis are more at risk of loose tooth compared to others.

· Tooth Trauma

Tooth trauma can also cause your tooth to loosen.  For minor mouth trauma, it often takes a day or two for the tooth to loosen out. But for harder mouth trauma caused by accidents, it would cause an immediate effect. The damage is inflicted in the supportive ligaments that connect the tooth to the jaw bone. It can lead to a medical condition called bruxism. Bruxism can cause the tooth to loosen because of the constant grinding and clenching.

· Pregnancy Hormones

Pregnant women often experience loose teeth because of the high levels of estrogen and progesterone in their body. These hormones cause the tooth to loosen and move from side to side.  Usually, this event is temporary and doesn’t lead to tooth loss.

There are many reasons why your tooth would loosen. If you feel this is happening and disregard this issue, you may not only lose the one tooth, but those surrounding it, as well! Visit your Bethesda MD Dentist if you’re experiencing any issues with your teeth like the ones mentioned above.