Missing teeth can lead to a number of struggles. You may have trouble with your usual oral functions, like chewing or speaking. You might feel self-conscious about new gaps disrupting the appearance of your smile. And you could face a greater risk of further dental complications.
If you do suffer from tooth loss, your dentist can evaluate your unique needs to find the best tooth replacement option for your smile. Ideally, you can avoid missing teeth in the first case with premeditated measures that will protect your smile. Read on to find advice from your dentist that will help you prevent the loss of one or more teeth.
Wear Oral Appliances as Directed
One reason you might lose a tooth is due to impact trauma and physical wear and tear on your smile. An accidental blow to the face is not always preventable, but you can take action to protect your smile from tooth loss in certain high-risk scenarios.
For example, an athlete engaging in high-contact sports will benefit from wearing a mouthguard. Dentists build these oral appliances on a custom basis for each patient so that they can guarantee a secure and comfortable fit. Then the device will not interfere with or distract from the athlete’s performance.
The mouthguard cushions the teeth against facial injuries that might otherwise knock out a tooth. This ensures you can keep your smile complete and healthy.
You may also want to wear a night guard, a mouthguard-like device that cushions the teeth against grinding or clenching that might occur during sleep. Ask your dentist about personalized oral appliances like these that can protect your unique smile against potential dental dangers.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The leading cause of tooth loss in adult dental patients is gum disease. This infection in the gum tissue occurs when oral bacteria eat away at the gums, teeth, and jawbone. Following extensive damage, a tooth can fall out of its socket.
Damage to the teeth, as with tooth decay, can also have a high risk of tooth loss. Or the tooth might require extraction to preserve the rest of your smile. Seek urgent dental treatment for these issues before they progress to this point.
You can avoid tooth loss by preventing these dental problems in the first place with good oral hygiene habits. This will entail brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing on a daily basis.
These efforts remove plaque from your smile that will otherwise erode your enamel, leaving teeth weak enough to be susceptible to bacterial infection and other concerns. Complete oral hygiene on a consistent basis to get rid of plaque in a timely fashion before you suffer irreversible dental damage.
Good oral hygiene will also involve attending routine teeth cleanings at your dentist’s office. The dentist can remove tartar as well as plaque that your toothbrush alone cannot reach, maximizing oral health benefits. They can also check your smile for signs of existing dental problems and offer treatment accordingly.