A loose tooth can be caused by gum disease, injury, teeth grinding, or pregnancy hormones. See a dentist as soon as possible.
Common causes
- Gum disease (periodontitis).
- Injury.
- Teeth grinding.
- Pregnancy hormones.
- Osteoporosis.
- Infection or abscess.
Normal
In children, baby teeth loosen naturally. For adults, a loose tooth is not normal.
What to do
Avoid chewing on it. See a dentist soon.
Treatment
Scaling, splinting, a bite guard or surgery.
Emergency
After trauma, see a dentist within 30 minutes if a tooth is knocked out.
Teeth mobility stages
Dentists grade tooth mobility from 0 (normal) to 3 (the tooth moves more than 1 mm in the horizontal direction or moves vertically). Periodontitis is the main cause in adults, affecting nearly half of US adults over 30 in some form, according to the CDC. Bone around the tooth is lost, so teeth loosen.
- Trauma, grinding (bruxism), abscesses and osteoporosis can also loosen teeth.
- Pregnancy hormones may increase tooth mobility temporarily in the third trimester.
- Orthodontic treatment moves teeth by design and causes mild looseness.
- Children lose primary teeth between about 6 and 12 years old.
Treatment
Scaling and root planing remove deposits below the gumline. Splinting binds loose teeth together, and a night guard reduces grinding forces. Advanced cases may require bone grafts or extraction with an implant. A tooth knocked loose by trauma should be seen by a dentist within hours, as a fully knocked-out tooth has the best chance when replanted within 30 to 60 minutes, stored in milk or saline.
Mobility grades and gum disease
Dentists grade tooth mobility from 0 (normal, up to 0.2 mm of movement) to grade 3, where the tooth moves more than 1 mm in any direction or can be pressed down. Most adult loosening is caused by periodontitis, which damages the bone and ligament holding the tooth. The CDC reports that about 42 percent of US adults aged 30 and older have periodontitis, and about 7.8 percent have the severe form. Other causes are teeth grinding (bruxism), trauma, abscesses, osteoporosis, pregnancy hormones and orthodontic movement.
Treatment options
Deep cleaning called scaling and root planing removes plaque and tartar below the gumline, and it can let gums tighten around teeth. Splinting joins loose teeth to stable ones, a night guard reduces grinding forces, and bone grafts or flap surgery can repair damage. A tooth that is loose after a knock should be seen by a dentist within a day. Do not push or wiggle a loose adult tooth, and avoid chewing hard foods on it. Smoking and uncontrolled diabetes slow healing.
Risk factors and warning signs
Besides periodontitis, loose teeth follow clenching and grinding (about 8 to 31 percent of adults), osteoporosis, diabetes, which doubles the risk of gum disease, smoking and hormonal changes in pregnancy. Pus, a bad taste, bleeding gums, gum recession and a changed bite point to advanced disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says severe periodontitis affects roughly 7.8 percent of adults 30 and over.
Prevention
Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss once daily, and have cleanings every 6 months, or every 3 to 4 months if you have gum disease. Quit smoking and control blood sugar. Early treatment can tighten teeth back up. A dentist may use X rays and measure gum pocket depth; pockets over 4 mm indicate disease.
Based on data from the CDC and the American Academy of Periodontology
