Do You Know The Causes of Losing Teeth?
Have you ever had the dream that all of your teeth are falling out one by one? The feeling that you no longer have teeth can be frightening and lead you to wonder what actually causes toothlessness, and if you could be at risk. For those curious sorts, the recurrent dream of losing your teeth is believed to be caused by anxiety over upcoming changes. Many times, you have the dream before a change in job or before welcoming a new baby into your family. While the dreams may be disconcerting in the moment, you still wake up in the morning with the teeth you had the night before.
For those who do deal with toothlessness, their daily oral care can be more complicated than the average patient. We’re going to walk you through the basic forms of tooth loss, oral care and your high-tech dental options to restore that smile no matter the case.
What causes tooth loss and who is affected?
Tooth loss is most prevalent in older patients, however young people can be affected as well. Poor oral hygiene is the most common cause of tooth loss. But why?
As a result of poor daily oral care, cavities and gum disease are more likely to develop. Cavities occur when tooth decay begins and when plaque isn’t properly removed from the surface of teeth. The plaque eventually begins to weaken the tooth and eat away at the enamel. Once the enamel is gone, a hole can develop that eventually grows down to the root. And when the root is impacted, it can cause the tooth to loosen and eventually fall out.
Gum disease is another leading cause of tooth loss as well. Just like with cavities, gum disease begins with plaque that is not cleaned away. Everyone’s mouth contains bacteria. While some is normal (and, in fact, necessary), there are some strains of bacteria that are bad. If these bad bacteria infiltrate your gum line (that has already been weakened by plaque), it can affect your jaw or other bones in the mouth. Unlike a cavity that can be painful, many times gum disease can go unnoticed. By the time it is identified it could be too late to save the tooth. Since gum disease can sneak up on you, it is important to look out for symptoms that include: swollen gums, soreness, gum recession or abscessed gums.
In addition to cavities and gum disease, smoking increases the risk of tooth loss due to a spike in gum disease. And how’s that happen? A combination of decreased oxygen levels in the blood and more-than-average bad bacteria increase the risk of infection and makes gums take longer to heal.
Poor nutrition and certain medication or drugs are also causes for tooth loss. But eating too much sugar is the number-one cause of tooth decay. Also, medications (and illegal substances) trigger tooth loss since side effects of medication can cause a decrease in saliva, which spurs bad bacteria growth.
Finally, tooth loss can also be caused by injuries. From getting knocked in the mouth by a foul ball to biting into something hard the wrong way, teeth can easily become chipped or loosened.
Options after tooth loss
If you are experiencing tooth loss then you’re probably thinking about how a dental implant could help. Dental implants are natural looking and as stable as natural teeth, so you can be confident when eating and talking. Technological advancements have moved this 1960s technology far into the future. Titanium dental implants are now used because the metal has been proven to be compatible with tissues in the body, and will actually help the bones to heal around the new implant. Dental implants are a safe and easy way to replace missing teeth, and almost everyone is a candidate.
Tooth loss can be devastating since your smile is what helps boost your confidence and get you through the day. If you have experienced tooth loss and are hoping to restore your smile, then call us at Dr. Ku’s office to discuss options for dental implants. These implants are sure to transform your smile, increase confidence, and boost your morale.
