If you want to keep your natural teeth for a lifetime, it’s important to understand the common causes of tooth loss. This will allow you to take preventive action to ensure your smile stays healthy. Top reasons for tooth loss are outlined below but be sure to contact your dentist if you have any questions or concerns. They can provide personalized advice for your oral health.
If you have lost a tooth, treatment options are available. Come to see us discuss dental implants, All-On-4 restorations, and other options. Your teeth are an integral part of your overall health and should be preserved when possible, but help is available for patients experiencing tooth loss.
Common Causes of Tooth Loss
Tooth loss has many causes, some avoidable and some out of your control. Some of the most common reasons for tooth loss include:
- Trauma – Trauma can dislodge it from the jaw or damage a tooth beyond repair. If you experience dental trauma, call your dentist right away. Sometimes teeth can be saved with prompt treatment.
- Tooth Decay and Cavities – A small cavity doesn’t typically doesn’t mean the tooth must be extracted, but when small parts of decay go unchecked, bacteria can spread throughout the tooth, eventually affecting the dental pulp, roots of the tooth, and even underlying bone. This type of infection can be treated with a root canal in some cases, but not always. Severe infections may require tooth removal.
- Gum Disease – Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is one of the most common causes of tooth loss. Gum disease is preventable with proper dental care and treatable once it develops. Severe periodontitis that compromises bone and causes significant tissue recession frequently creates tooth loss, however. Talk to your dentist about your options.
- Impaction – Some teeth may be impacted and unable to fully erupt into the mouth. Wisdom teeth are commonly impacted, but canines are also affected. Early recognition of the problem and prompt treatment can mean that these teeth, or others, are extracted to make room in the smile for proper eruption.
The best way to prevent tooth loss is to see your dentist regularly. They can spot problems as they develop before they become serious. Don’t wait to go to the dentist until you have a problem. Remember, dental visits are largely preventive. If you have experienced bone loss as the result of a several dental infection or long missing teeth, our oral surgeon provides grafts and teeth replacement to meet your needs.
Keeping Your Mouth Healthy to Avoid Tooth Loss
Proper dental care and healthy habits can help you to prevent many causes of tooth loss. These tips will help you keep your pearly whites healthy and strong.
- Don’t Smoke – Patients that smoke is more likely to experience tooth loss.
- Brush and Floss Daily – Daily brushing is a must for a healthy smile. Brush twice a day and floss once per day; these are the minimums. Your dentist may recommend a different hygiene schedule or the use of certain dental tools, depending on your needs.
- Visit Your Dentist – Regular dental visits are important. Ask your dentist how often you should come in for routine care, which includes dental X-rays and teeth polishing.
- Address Dental Problems – As problems arise with your oral health, get treatment as soon as possible. This can minimize the risk of tooth loss and help to preserve the bone.
- Live a Healthy Lifestyle – Diet and overall health affect the strength of your smile. Many diseases like diabetes or osteoporosis can negatively impact oral health. Likewise, a diet that includes sticky foods that adhere to teeth and foods with added sugar can impact the health of dental enamel and increase chances for decay and gum inflammation.
Hill Country Oral Surgery is proud to provide Austin, TX with tooth extraction, dental implants, and other oral surgery services. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
