When teeth fall out, they’re lost forever, so it’s important to know what can cause tooth loss and what you can do to prevent it from happening. In many cases, tooth loss can be attributed to certain factors including dental disease, an accident or the natural aging process.
Since tooth loss can also be caused by common conditions like cavities and gingivitis, it’s important to pay attention to your oral health and visit your dentist regularly.
Understanding why it happens
Part of why tooth loss happens is because our enamel—the protective outer layer of teeth—is weaker today than it was years ago. According to researchers, today’s enamel is 40% thinner than that of our ancestors.
Luckily, unlike bone density which changes with age, we have a lot more control over maintaining healthy levels of enamel as we get older. The first step towards keeping teeth healthy is brushing and flossing daily (and especially after meals).
Causes of Tooth Loss
Tooth decay and periodontal disease are two of the most common causes of tooth loss in adults. Both conditions affect almost all adults; however, they are preventable. The best way to avoid these issues is to learn how to brush, floss, and practice proper oral hygiene regularly. Regular dental checkups will also alert dentists or hygienists if a problem is developing so that treatment can begin sooner rather than later.
Symptoms of Tooth Loss
Tooth loss is defined as losing all of your teeth from gum disease, injuries, or other problems. Some people lose teeth over time and don’t experience any pain. Others might have sore or red gums that may last for just a few days, but they may be an early warning sign of more serious problems.
The real danger of losing teeth comes later when there are no replacements left in our mouths. Toothless people tend to eat less food because chewing becomes difficult or even painful.
They also tend to consume less nutritious foods because it takes more work—literally—to chew through tough stuff like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This means they’re at higher risk for developing other health issues related to malnutrition.
Ways to Save Your Teeth
The easiest way to save teeth is to have good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, use a mouthwash at least once a day, floss every night before bed and have regular dental checkups. If you keep these habits up, chances are slim that any problems will arise.
But sometimes, people don’t realize there is already damage happening until a problem arises. Your teeth start breaking off or get discolored because of plaque build-up over time – basically, without taking care of them properly they get cavities (holes) in them and die. To prevent issues like these from happening as early as possible: Make sure to take care of your gums too!
Final Thoughts
Tooth loss is something that no one wants to talk about. Because teeth are such an integral part of how we look, many people try their best to ignore any problems they might be having with them until there’s nothing left.
Although on the other hand, there are a lot of solutions to treat tooth loss such as dental implants and dentures. You can always consult experienced dentists about implants and dentures to help deal with tooth loss.