Today we want to talk about a tough topic: adult tooth loss. A staggering number of people will lose at least one tooth over the course of a lifetime. So, it makes sense to look at why is this happening, and more importantly, what can be done to prevent that kind of loss in your own life. Just so you know, here at White Rock Dental Group we can replace lost teeth with dentures, but that doesn’t mean we want you to lose your original set! As such, let’s look at some underlying (and mostly preventable) reasons behind tooth loss. Keep reading, and then be sure to follow up and schedule your next appointment with Dr. Rogers!
Poor Oral Hygiene
This shouldn’t come as a surprise: poor oral hygiene is bad for your health. Ignoring your daily dental tasks can lead to a buildup of plaque, which is the sticky white film made of bacteria that lives in everyone’s mouths. If it builds up it will have the chance to assault your teeth, causing tooth decay and gum disease that can lead to complete loss of your teeth.
Cavities/Decay
Tooth decay is a leading cause of tooth loss. While you can still end up with cavities even when you are taking good care of your teeth, brushing and flossing diligently will increase your protective factors. Cavities can lead to tooth loss and/or extraction in cases that go undiagnosed or untreated.
Gum Disease
As with cavities, gum disease is caused by oral bacteria. When that bacteria gets below your gumline it starts to cause inflammation, infection, and eventual weakening of your gums. They’ll start to recede, showing more and more of the roots of your teeth until they start to lose stability.
The loss of stability as a result of untreated gum disease will get worse and worse until your gums and bone can’t support your teeth anymore. Most gum disease patients lose multiple teeth rather quickly as the infection spreads from tooth to tooth!
Trauma/Injury
A car crash, sports injury, or just a slip-and-fall injury can happen without warning. Teeth are lost from that kind of trauma all the time!
In many cases a traumatically damaged tooth can be saved with a crown or other restoration, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes there’s nothing that can be done. But we will do our best set you up with a great replacement plan if that is the case. Modern dentures are a better than ever, if you should ever need to explore such an option.
Fear Of The Dentist’s Office
You won’t want to hide from your dentist for too long. Remember, there are a lot of places in your mouth that can’t be reached with brushing and flossing alone. That’s why professional cleanings are so important. And exams are able to catch cavities far earlier than you can spot them. The same applies for gum disease. We are here to help, but we can’t do much good if you never come to see us!
Start Smiling, Make Your Next Appointment Today!
You can reach our general dentist’s office in South Surrey/White Rock, BC at 604-635-1695 ext 1 whenever you are ready to schedule your next preventive dental exam and professional teeth cleaning!