Keeping your teeth is essential to your smile, nutrition, and oral and general health disease prevention. There are several reasons you may need a tooth extraction. Here is some information on five of the most common causes of adult tooth loss.
Learn more about the five common causes of tooth loss, and book an appointment with Trident General Dentistry today!
Gum Disease
Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, begins slowly and causes such mild symptoms that you may ignore them. However, this relatively common oral condition is the leading cause of tooth loss. Inflamed gums, or gingivitis, is the earliest stage of gum disease, and almost everyone experiences it around one or more teeth. Gingivitis is a mild gum inflammation that occurs if you don’t brush or floss an area of your mouth well for a few days.
When gums remain inflamed without treatment, a gum infection known as periodontitis begins. As periodontal disease advances, the gum detaches from the tooth and jawbone. Eventually, the infection destroys the supporting bone, and a tooth becomes loose. At this point, you are at an elevated risk of losing your tooth.
Tooth Decay
Dental plaque that stays on a tooth can cause a small dental cavity. Most of the time, you won’t be able to see this small hole in the enamel of your tooth. As the decay destroys more enamel and gets deeper into your tooth, you can develop sensitivity and mild or severe pain. Deep tooth decay causes tooth abscesses that can infect your gums, jaw, and face.
If you seek treatment early enough, Trident General Dentistry can remove the decay and restore your tooth with a filling, crown, and possibly a root canal treatment. However, untreated tooth decay can destroy so much of your tooth that insufficient hard tooth structure remains to save the tooth from extraction.
Trauma
If your mouth receives a blow during an automobile or bicycle mishap, sports event, or other accident, a tooth can fracture and need removal. Most accidents cause chipped teeth that Trident General Dentistry can repair with a cosmetic dental filling. However, occasionally a tooth breaks off so deeply that it leaves an inadequate amount of tooth for restoration.
Teeth Grinding
You place an excessive amount of pressure on your teeth if you grind your teeth and gums while sleeping. Teeth grinding, known as bruxism, can cause tiny fractures that can deepen and eventually split your tooth into separate segments that need removal. Grinding can also wear your teeth down so that they become sensitive and require removal because so much of your tooth is missing. This destructive habit requires immediate attention to avoid severe problems with your teeth, gums, jaw, and TMJ.
Tooth Impaction
The most familiar tooth impactions are wisdom teeth. Due to a lack of space, some teeth cannot erupt normally. These impacted teeth typically need extraction during the teen or early adult years. But you can also have other teeth impacted in your jaw that cannot erupt into their normal position. Orthodontic treatment can save some of these, but others require extraction. Impacted teeth are usually discovered with a panoramic X-ray during a routine dental examination.
How to Prevent Tooth Loss
Here are some tips to help lower your risk from the common causes of tooth loss:
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Avoid tobacco products. Smoking is destructive to teeth and gums and places smokers at an unusually high risk of having teeth extracted.
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Brush and floss daily. Brush your teeth gently twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and use a fluoride toothpaste. Floss at least once daily to prevent plaque buildup between your teeth. This lowers your risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
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Wear a nightguard. If you suspect that you grind your teeth, ask Trident General Dentistry about getting a custom-made nightguard to wear while you sleep.
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Eat a healthy diet. Eating a low-sugar diet can help prevent tooth decay and keep your teeth healthy.
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Schedule regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings. Early discovery of dental disease and other oral conditions can often allow you to keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime.
Schedule an Appointment
Call us today to schedule an appointment with Trident General Dentistry for a comprehensive exam, a teeth cleaning, and to learn more about how to avoid the common causes of tooth loss.