The United States government considers these beetles endangered because they are only found in a single cave system.

[4] Details on the life history of the Tooth Cave ground beetle and its relatives in the Rhadine genus are not known.

However, there is life history data for the related cave beetles Neaphaenops tellkampfii and Ptomaphagus hirtus.

Scientists assume these species have similar life histories to the Tooth Cave ground beetle.

The exact population of the species is unknown and difficult to estimate due to the limited access to the cave system.

The Tooth Cave ground beetle's limited population size and distribution can be attributed to the species' inability to colonize new habitats.

[8] The beetle cannot move significant distances on the surface and cannot reach other cave systems to expand its population.

[2][8] A recovery plan was published in August 1994 for the Tooth Cave ground beetle and 6 other invertebrates.

[9] Urban development in Travis County is the primary threat to the Tooth Cave ground beetle.

With only 20 square miles of geographic range, even limited habitat destruction poses a serious threat to the species.

This pollution damages the fragile natural habitats of the caves and karsts in which the beetle lives.

Imported predators such as red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) disrupt the habitat of the beetle.

As of the 2008 five year review, the Tooth Cave ground beetle's population is considered to be stable.

The Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1996 to protect several species in the region, including karst fauna like the Tooth Cave ground beetle.

A 2019 review recommended that the City of Austin and Travis County extend and modernize the plan, and noted that the BCCP has been more successful than expected.

The Tooth Cave ground beetle shares critical habitat with a number of other karst fauna in the region.

The surface ecosystem provides nutrients to the cave and protects it from potential threats like fire ants and flooding.

The plan requires that the Tooth Cave Ground Beetle be identified in at least two unique karst regions, with three or more protected karst areas per region, each with a stable population of Tooth Cave ground beetles.

Both require increased protection and further study to demonstrate the presence of a healthy beetle population.

Human activity has harmed several caves in the region, and managers recommend stronger enforcement of protections.