A Common and Often-Neglected Dental Problem: Loosening of the Teeth
Our teeth, solidly fixed by their roots into our jawbones, allow us to vigorously chew our food. But when the gums no longer play their protective role, when they retract and the tooth is no longer held in place, the tooth becomes loose and may even fall out in the most severe cases. As common as cavities, tooth loosening must be detected and treated as soon as possible.
But don’t panic, a simple visit to the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville, your South Shore dentist, will allow us to determine if this very common condition affects you or not. If it does, our specialists will be able to suggest solutions adapted to your situation in complete confidence and for the best possible result, even if the intervention by our Boucherville orthodontist is necessary. You should know that the earlier this problem is detected, the better it will be resolved.
What Should You Be Aware Of?
When it comes to your dental health, it’s important to stay alert and pay attention to the warning signs that your body sends you on a regular basis. It is in your best interest to keep this wonderful machine that is your body in perfect working order, and no matter how insignificant they may seem to you, these signs should lead you to wonder about a possible condition with sometimes serious consequences.
Gingival recession affects the gums, and if you experience the following symptoms, it’s time to take steps to fight it:
- Your gums are red, swollen, and often bleed;
- You feel significant dental sensitivity to cold or heat, or to certain acidic foods;
- Curiously, one or more of your teeth seem longer than the others.
The progressive recession of the gum, called gingival recession, leads to the degradation of the bone support to the tooth and uncovers it more and more until its roots are completely exposed, which is why, at the beginning, it creates the illusion of one tooth being longer than the others. The consequences of this process are inevitable: the mobility of the tooth increases and, as it is no longer sufficiently supported, it ends up falling out.
As is often the case, some of us have higher risk factors than others when it comes to the probability of tooth loosening. If heredity, genetics or the presence of certain diseases such as diabetes play an important role in the onset and worsening of this condition, and are therefore unavoidable, we can and must take action to remedy it.
To successfully fight against the dental plaque responsible for the inflammation in your gums and the direct consequences of tooth loosening, you can act now: improve your dental hygiene with adequate tooth brushing that is effective without being too aggressive; reduce or eliminate your consumption of tobacco, its vasoconstrictive effect alters the gums and favours the accumulation of tartar; and contact your dentist at once.
Take Big Bites of Life!
After a thorough dental examination of your teeth and gums, if our professionals at the Centre Dentaire & D’Implantologie Boucherville notice tooth loosening, they will recommend a treatment plan that is tailored to your case. They will know how to find and apply the most appropriate solutions: deep cleaning that will remove all tartar and bacteria responsible for the inflammation in your gums, surface cleaning that will eliminate the bacterial plaque present at the roots of the teeth, and even a possible gum graft.
And if you’re lucky enough not to have gingival recession, follow our experts’ advice to keep your gums healthy! They will teach you how to use the right brushing techniques on a daily basis without damaging your gums, or advise on a dental realignment that will prevent future tooth loosening, etc. In short, they’ll help you take big bites of life!