My gums have been hurting and bleeding for a while and now one of them is loose. I’m not sure what is going on. I brush every day. Can I use superglue on the loose tooth to keep it in?
Brent
Dear Brent,
Based on what you’re saying, it sounds like you’re at the cusp of advanced gum disease. This is serious and does mean you can lose your teeth. This is probably what is happening to the tooth which is loose now. Superglue is not a good solution.
While I am sure you brush your teeth, there is more to healthy oral hygiene than just brushing. You need to be regularly flossing and seeing a dentist. Even then, you can do everything right and still develop decay and other problems. Without regular treatment, those will only get worse.
This is beyond basic gum disease and will need the treatment of a periodontist. Without that, the soft tissue will become more diseased and you will lose more bone.
The periodontist will work on stopping the progression of the gum disease. Then, when things are under control, it will be time to build back up the bone structure in your jawbone.
If Your Tooth Can’t be Saved
There’s a chance the tooth can’t be saved. Without treatment, and soon, you’ll lose more teeth. Ideally, after you’ve healed the gum disease, I’d recommend replacing the teeth with dental implants. These are secure tooth replacements which are the closest thing to having natural healthy teeth again.
Both treatments can be done by a good peridontist. Dental implants require surgery for the root form to be implanted into your jawbone. It is a costly treatment, so getting help right away could prevent that.
I’m sure this isn’t at all what you wanted to hear, but it is important. Keeping healthy teeth will affect the rest of your health too. In fact, gum disease is linked with both heart disease and stroke.
This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.
