Loose Tooth, Bone Loss, Chewing Discomfort

[Susan1944]

Over twenty years ago a dentist told me I had bone loss on one tooth. Never affected me until
three years ago I got a stabbing pain in it and a root canal. It was fine until three months ago.
Now if I floss around it too aggressively it can hurt all night long . It also snags the floss. This is
something new. Two months ago it became "rough" on the inside and snags floss. There is
no bump or absess (abscess) and it feels fine today. Some days I can chew a steak on it and others it
isn't comfortable to do so.
I notice it's slightly loose. Of course, that's from the bone loss. What the heck is going on
with this tooth? I'm not having it pulled out.

[scottma]

Seeing a periodontist is advised.

[Gellia]

If you can move the tooth from side to side, there is usually not enough bone left to hold it in.  Only thing that would be holding it would be the ligament and gum.  Eventually, the tooth will get repeated infections (been there, doing that) and unfortunately, need to be pulled.  The infections just get worse and worse.
If you had prior bone loss, please go to a periodontist and get it checked out.  If the bone loss is from periodontal disease, it will just travel along the ligament from one tooth right to the next.  I am loosing four teeth to this problem and just happy I can stop it at that.  A few more years and I'd loose them all.
Scottma is right.  "Seeing a periodontist is advised."  It just may save your teeth.
Best to you,
Gellia

[Susan1944]

It has what I can only describe as the slightest movement possible. My daughter said swishing w/hydrogen peroxide will prevent infection but I don't know.

[Gellia]

It may have a tiny silent infection going on.  If the bone starts to dissolve (periodontal disease) it makes the tooth have a small space around it.  Bacteria ladened saliva gets in the space and causes an infection.  Your sore gums are your first "tip off".  
Most of the time a periodontist can scale the root and get all the bacteria out.  If you wait too long like I did, you can loose the tooth.  I'm loosing my front top four.
I never knew I had a problem until it got sore and a teeny bit loose.  It would then be fine for awhile and then get sore again.  By the time I got around to going to the dentist, for me, it was too late for all four teeth.
Peroxide and water is a good mouthwash but it can't reach bacteria that has gotten into spaces as deep a tooth root.  Only a dentist and some xrays can tell if you have bone loss and if that is what is making your tooth and gums sore.  
Please don't wait to see your dentist.  You could be saving your teeth.
I wish I hadn't waited.  I wish I wasn't loosing my teeth.
Gellia

[Susan1944]

The tooth is still slightly loose. I can tell there is SOME bone left. The soreness is gone after taking 200mg of COQ10 for a week which I will continue.
I had the most amazing thing happen. I was eating a steak and a METAL STAPLE was in the meat and jammed into the gum. I had slight bleeding an hour later and it stopped.
And no after effects. So there is a low grade infection in the area around that tooth.