As we grow older more and more health problems catch up with us. Some of those problems are related to our dental health. As such oral health problems start surfacing by the time one reaches 30 years. In several cases it could even be sooner. According to statistics revealed by the World Health Organisation or WHO the number of people all over the world suffering from one oral disease or another is over 3.5 billion. It is important to note that oral disease does not only refer to the cases or oral cancer. One of the most common issues that affect oral health is periodontitis or gum disease. According to a rough estimate it affects more than 10% population of the world. Gum disease is the most common reason behind loose teeth in adults. In this background the trend of fixing loose teeth is steadily becoming more and more popular.
About Periodontitis and loose teeth
The problem of periodontitis develops mostly because of the combined effect of ever advancing age and poor dental hygiene. Because of poor oral hygiene films of plaque keep building up around the teeth and the gums. As a result harmful bacteria keep multiplying in the mouth. This opens up the door to inflammation and discomfort across the supporting bones and the tissues of the teeth.
Interestingly periodontitis is pretty easy to prevent although a large number of people all over the world actually suffer from it. Little consciousness about dental health and hygiene is all you need to prevent gum disease.
Factors that boost the risk of periodontitis
The following factors brighten up your chances of developing periodontitis.
- Habitual smoking or consumption of tobacco products
- Habitual and excessive consumption of alcohol
- Excessive consumption of cola drinks and sugary beverages
- Mental stress and strain
- Taking certain medications for prolong period of time
- Improper way of brushing and flossing the teeth
Periodontitis does not only damage your teeth and the gums to ruin your oral health but it also reduces the quality of your life. In fact it affects one normal life in more ways than one. The most significant ways in which periodontitis reduces your quality of life are loose teeth and teeth loss. As a result proper chewing of food becomes difficult. Even your speech can be difficult to understand when you suffer from teeth loss.
Treatment for Periodontitis
If gum disease makes your teeth loose and wiggly there is nothing to worry. Modern dentistry has evolved a lot to offer a reliable solution to it. However it is important to note that severity of the condition is the key here to seek remedy. Therefore you should not ignore gum disease or gum problems. There is no point in delaying going to the dentist when you are having problems or inconvenience with your gums. You should go to a dentist at the earliest possible symptom of gum disease.
You know you should visit a dentist right away if you come across any of the following symptoms –
- Bleeding from the gums
- The teeth gradually pulling away from the gums
- Loose and wiggly teeth
- Pus seeping from around the teeth
- The gums are kind of reddish and swollen
- The gums are painful to touch
In addition to the factors mentioned above if you suffer from bad breath or halitosis for a considerable span of time you should go and visit a dentist.
Fixing loosened teeth resulting from gum disease
First your dentist will make a detailed assessment of progression of the gum disease. Based on the assessment the expert will determine the type of treatment that will be most effective in stemming the problem and reversing the damage. The following treatment options are available:
- Administering antibiotics
- Tissue and bone grafting
- Scaling and root planning
In most acute cases of gum disease osseous surgery becomes necessary.
Antibiotic medications
This is the least invasive way to treat and cure gum disease. But usually this procedure is performed along with other options or procedures. In cases ranging between mild and moderate antibiotics prove effective in arresting and eradicating the infection. As the harmful bacteria are cleared away from the mouth due to the effect of antibiotics the inflammation gets cured. As a result your loosened teeth tighten up to a considerable extent again.
Scaling and root planning
In order to perform scaling and root planning on your teeth a dentist has to put you on sedative. The procedure is performed when a patient is under the effect of general anaesthesia. This procedure clears out the films of plaque and tartar from the teeth and the gum surface. To chip away plaque build-ups from the teeth surface a scrapping tool is all a dentist or a dental hygienist requires. But while scrapping the plaque from the teeth the professional may have to dig beneath your gums too. Thus patients are put under general anaesthesia before the procedure.
Grafting of the tissues and bones
This procedure involves either donated bone materials or synthetic bones. It is relevant to mention that a patient’s own bone samples can also be used in this treatment method to fill up the broken or missing pieces of the tooth. Tissues are also collected from the roof of a patient’s mouth. Those tissues are used to treat and fill the tissues surrounding the teeth.
Osseous surgery
Osseous surgery can be considered the last resort to in curing gum disease and treating the loosened teeth. This procedure is applied only when all the other options fail. In osseous surgery a patient’s gums are cut and the infected parts are exposed. The infected parts are then removed. This is how harmful bacteria responsible for gum disease are cleared away and the infection is cured. If the supporting bones are too damaged by the bacteria the bones are reshaped and repaired. This is done by replacing old bone structure and tissue with new ones.
How long do loose teeth take to heal?
Dentists working at Emergency Dentist London Pro explain that healing time is not uniform in these cases. It depends on the extent of gum damage. If the damage is severe it will take much time to heal. Usually the healing period ranges between a few weeks to a few months. But that also depends to a large extent on the quality of aftercare during the post-treatment stage. Pain related to gum disease will subside easily within a few days. But your teeth are likely to feel wiggly for much longer time period.
