As an adult, proper tooth care is essential to keeping all your teeth, and keeping all your teeth is a contributing factor to your overall health, eating habits, and confidence. There’s no tooth fairy visit to look forward to anymore and no promise of another tooth growing in to fill the empty spot. The good news is that adults these days keep their teeth longer than they ever have before because many of the risks for tooth loss are within our control. If you want to maintain a full set of adult teeth, it is important to understand the risk factors and ways adults lose teeth.
How Do Adults Typically Lose Teeth?
There are a few common ways that adult teeth can be lost, and it is essential to know how you can keep your teeth healthy. This may include proper hygiene and physical care, brushing and flossing, and regular dental check-ups and cleanings. Consider these four common reasons for tooth loss.
- Injuries. Your teeth may experience various types of trauma that cause tooth loss. Unfortunately, some circumstances such as automobile accidents, sports injuries, and falls may not be avoidable. You can be proactive, however, by driving defensively and wearing a mouthguard when playing sports. You should always avoid chewing ice and cracking nutshells with your teeth. Other mistakes people commonly make that lead to tooth loss include using teeth to cut thread, remove tags, untie knots, and taking off bottle caps and lids.
- People tend to have cavities more often as children than as adults, but they can occur at any time. Cavities are caused by bacteria creating a hole in the tooth, which leads to tooth decay. The best defense against cavities is brushing and flossing regularly and having regular dental cleanings and examinations.
- Gum disease. Many adults lose teeth due to periodontal disease, or gum disease, which can also be caused by bacteria. The gum tissue becomes inflamed and is eventually destroyed. In time, the jawbone that supports the teeth also becomes damaged, and teeth are lost.
What Are the Other Factors?
Several other risk factors may contribute to adult tooth loss, including:
- Poor nutrition, and a lack of vitamin C, potassium, phosphorous, vitamin D, and calcium
- Smoking
- Arthritis
- Hypertension
- Autoimmune diseases such as diabetes
If you have lost teeth, or you are worried about your dental health, the professionals at OMSNashville are here to help. Reach out to us today and find out how you can prevent tooth loss.
The information and content on our website should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment or advice from your doctor.
