Anytime you find that your teeth are becoming progressively loose, it is a time to be worried. If you notice your teeth are becoming loose and you do not do anything, the problem will get worse. The main cause of loose teeth is having advanced gum disease. Other causes of loose teeth are hormonal changes such as in pregnancy, during orthodontic treatment and trauma.

Firstly you have to maintain good plaque control by brushing. Secondly you have to have a thorough scaling done by your dentist or hygienist. They will remove tartar. This tartar you can see above the gum line, but also the tartar underneath the gum line which you cannot see. You should always have all your fillings and crowns checked to make sure that plaque and food is not becoming trapped around them. Your breath will become better if you follow the above guidelines.

To stop your gums receding from bleeding, you have to remove the infection and inflammation from your underlying gums which is causing the bleeding. This is usually by carrying out a deep scaling at the dentist under local anaesthetic. This normally is carried out over in between two to four visits with the review after a month. It is also necessary to have excellent home care oral hygiene procedures such as tooth brushing, interdental sticks, interdental brushes and mouthwashes containing antibacterials such as in Listerine or Corsodyl.

Generally a loose tooth will not tighten up by itself. The loose tooth most often will be caused by gum disease and if the gum disease is in its very early stages, then a tooth may tighten up, if treatment is carried out as soon as possible. Once the gum disease goes to an advanced stage then the tooth will not generally tighten up and things will get worse.

In mild to moderate gum disease, loose teeth can be saved although they are unlikely to tighten up significantly. In advanced gum disease, the treatment might be too late and you might be in the position where your loose teeth cannot be saved.

 Receding gums cannot grow back despite “miracle cures” that you will see on the internet. You can however stop receding gums from becoming worse by finding out the cause which is usually advanced gum disease also known as periodontitis. Once periodontitis is treated properly, then this will stabilise your gums and prevent any further recession.

A loose tooth if not fixed will become worse and you will not be able to eat on it. As the tooth becomes looser, the gums will also recede and your tooth may become sensitive due to the exposed dentine and root surface. As a tooth becomes loose and the gums recede you will also notice gaps on either side as well.

Loose teeth from gum disease usually benefit from a deep scaling done under local anaesthetic using ultrasonic instrumentation. You also have to maintain excellent oral hygiene, which includes tooth brushing at least twice a day, using dental floss every day, the use of interdental brushes and perhaps a mouthwash containing chlorhexidine.

The early sign of bleeding gums is usually due to a condition called gingivitis which is an early form of gum disease. If this is not treated then the gingivitis can turn into the more severe type of gum disease called periodontitis. Periodontitis will cause your mouth and gums to bleed readily. In addition, you may suffer from bad breath, sensitive teeth and lose teeth eventually.

In the early stages, loose teeth do not have to be removed as long as you find out the cause and get prompt treatment for the problem. In severe cases, yes you do have to remove loose teeth. In moderate cases, it depends what is causing the teeth to become loose and whether you can remove the causative factors.

Loose teeth prevent you from eating properly because the teeth become painful every time to chew. Every time you chew, a tooth becomes disturbed. Loose teeth can also move out of position, so it can affect your appearance especially upper and lower front teeth. Loose teeth can also become sensitive due to the gums receding. Finally loose teeth develop gaps on either side and this exacerbates the problem because food gets impacted which causes the problem to become worse.