Tooth Loss: What You Can Do

Written By Kassandra Foreman / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Tooth loss affects many adults every year. There are a few things that can cause tooth loss that can be prevented or treated, while others are unpredictable and not always preventable. There are also things that you can do to decrease the risk, and dental treatments that can be used after a tooth has been lost if it proves unavoidable.

Reducing the risk of tooth loss

Tooth loss can happen through infection and extraction, by getting knocked out, through breakage that is not salvable, or through gum disease. Each of these causes has its own treatments, but to help lower the risk there are basic oral hygiene habits you should follow.

To reduce the risk of tooth loss teeth should be brushed and flossed twice daily, and can be rinsed or brushed after every meal or snack. This will reduce the buildup on the teeth as well as the cavities, breakage, and receding gums.

It is also important to have regular dental appointments including deep cleaning as needed for scaling and cleaning the teeth below the gum lines. By having all plaque removed from the teeth, the gums will not develop gum disease or begin receding, therefore they won’t leave the roots of the teeth unsupported and more susceptible to falling out.

Sports and tooth loss

In some sports there is contact between the players and this can result in trauma to the mouth. Many of these sports are recommended to be played with a mouth guard in place to help protect the teeth from trauma.

These can be bought over the counter or made by a dentist to fit the teeth. They are placed in the mouth and wrap around the teeth to shield them from bumping together or from being pushed around from the outside.

It is not guaranteed that they will always protect teeth but it does decrease damage to the teeth. It is best to avoid any contact with the face to protect the teeth from potential damage, but any chips that do occur should be repaired by the dentist as soon as is possible. Large breaks may require a crown to protect them further.

Should a tooth become knocked out it can possibly be saved if it can be taken to a dentist quickly enough and the damage is not too great.

Replacing a lost tooth

If a tooth has been lost for any reason and can not be repaired it may be replaced with a dental implant, bridge, or a denture. For just one tooth a bridge or an implant is most often chosen. The bridge is placed between the teeth surrounding the missing one. The dental implant is a titanium post installed and fused to the jaw bone and topped with a crown.

Tooth loss may be an unavoidable issue for some, through trauma or breakage, or if an infection or gum disease damage the root, but there are ways to prevent it and ways to replace it. It is important to care for teeth to the best of your ability to keep tooth loss to a minimum or to avoid it completely.

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Written By:

Kassandra Foreman has been writing freelance for five years now and enjoys learning about new things to write about. When not writing she teaches yoga and meditation with a focus on health and fitness.

Reviewed By:    

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.