Losing a tooth is a terrible experience and one that has consequences to your oral health. As an adult, there are many causes of tooth loss, and it is important to be aware of them so that you can take the necessary precautions to avoid tooth loss from occurring.
Whilst tooth loss is common within children as part of their mouth development, where milk teeth naturally fall out to make way for adult tooth, but tooth loss in adults can occur at any time, and it is also important to be aware of those dangers to avoid emergency treatment.
Let’s take a look at the common causes of tooth loss.
A Weak Oral Routine
The first mistake is not looking after your teeth properly through a strong oral routine. This means following the fundamentals such as brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, eating a balanced diet comprising healthy nutrients for your enamel, strong saliva levels, and keeping your mouth clean throughout the day.
Not following these basic fundamentals can trigger tooth decay, from the point where dental plaque can coat your teeth, to catching an infection in your teeth and gums and teeth becoming severely decayed beyond repair. When a tooth is decayed, it will need to be removed.
A Fad Diet
A healthy mouth begins with what you consume with regard to food and drink. If you adopt a diet comprising of sugars, preservatives, acids and tannins, these are not good for your teeth. Sugar and acids combine to expose your enamel to harmful bacteria and infection. Tannins can cause discolouration, and you’re actively promoting cavity and tooth loss. The enamel is the hardest substance in the body and needs the right nutrients to stay strong and protect the underlying dentin from becoming exposed. A balanced diet is a key to this. Therefore, start eating foods containing calcium and phosphate such as dairy, vegetables, boiled potato, soya, nuts and fish.
Bad Dental Habits
Many people use their teeth to perform certain habits. Your teeth should only be used for biting, chewing and smiling. Common habits people adopt include using teeth to open packaging, biting down on hard objects or biting nails. These are bad behaviours and will naturally degrade the look and feel of your teeth. Although performing these habits are quite easy to do, the consequences to your oral health will begin to show.
Gum Disease
Did you know that gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss? Gum disease occurs when bacteria penetrate the gums. The gums also become inflamed and when this happens, the underlying tissue severely damages the jawbone under the gums, causing weaker bone density and no strength to hold your teeth in place. This will cause your teeth to fall out.
Trauma And Accidents
Accidents can occur from out of nowhere, whether it be on a physical field when playing sports or if you experience misalignment or an abnormal bite. As mentioned, you should never use your teeth for any abnormal habits as this can increase the chances of an accident. Although, if your tooth has been impacted because of a collision, this can cause trauma and require an emergency appointment.
The above common causes of tooth loss form part of a certain lifestyle. Therefore, it is important that you change your lifestyle to avoid these causes. Start looking after your oral health today. If you need further support from a dental professional, we can help! Contact us at Ashwood Dental today by clicking here.
