We all want to keep our beautiful smiles for years. However, certain things happen that can lead to tooth loss. Children losing their baby teeth in exchange for permanent ones is a celebrated milestone. It’s the complete opposite for adults. While losing teeth may seem like a trivial concern, there are certain dangers of missing teeth you should know about. Some of which pose threats to our overall health and well-being.
While tooth loss may seem like an inevitable part of aging, tooth loss can happen at any age. However, it can be mitigated to prevent a wide range of health problems and not just a gap in smiles. In fact, severe tooth loss (having eight or fewer teeth) entails the inability to eat meat, fruits, and vegetables, thereby affecting our overall nutrition intake. And this is but one of the many dangers of missing teeth.
Here at Century Dental, we want you to know the effects of missing teeth to be better informed on how to make them last till the senior years.
7 Common Risk Factors of Tooth Loss
Whenever we lose one of our teeth, our overall health becomes threatened by the dangers of missing teeth. Certain factors in life lead to tooth loss as we age. However, some of the factors given here can be prevented with proper hygiene, regular dental check-ups, proper diet, and a sound lifestyle.
1. Poor Dental Hygiene
Bad dental habits like missed dental appointments, poor brushing techniques, and skipping on flossing can lead to tooth decay. The acid from plaque buildup damages the enamel of your teeth. You might think that cavities are your only problem, but you have a bigger problem in your hands — gum disease.
As gum disease worsens, your gums recede from your teeth and create spaces that can get infected. This condition is called periodontitis. The bone and tissue that anchor your teeth disintegrate, causing your tooth to loosen and need to be pulled out.
2. Genetics
Unfortunately, genetics is a risk factor for missing teeth. People with the beta-defensin 1 gene are more susceptible to tooth decay on their permanent teeth, according to a study.
Those who are born with a cleft palate or a cleft lip have mouth development concerns. Due to the missing portion of the palate, there may be a missing tooth or two.
Genetics also have something to do with teeth misalignment. Overcrowded and crooked teeth are difficult to brush and clean. Your dentist may recommend dental braces to solve this problem.
3. Drinking and Smoking
Both smoking and drinking have major consequences on the human body. Smoking increases the risk of developing gum disease as it lowers blood flow. It also slows your healing time in the process. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 43% of adults aged 65 or older, who smoke, have lost all their teeth. Alcohol does the same, especially for binge drinkers.
4. Uncontrolled Diabetes
The excess blood sugar that comes with uncontrolled diabetes puts a person at risk for several dental problems. You may experience dry mouth, which impacts saliva production. It also slows your healing process. A minor infection or wound may worsen over time — increasing your risk for gum disease and missing teeth. Tooth loss is 50% higher in people stricken with diabetes.
5. Aging
Aging is inevitable. Unfortunately, this is a risk factor for developing missing teeth. Age alone isn’t a major contributor to this. It’s because as we age, we have a higher chance of developing several health issues. According to CDC, periodontal disease affects 70.1% of the older population.
Tooth loss is more prevalent among adults aged 65 years old and above. Tooth loss increases as one grows older. Males experience complete tooth loss at 75 years old and above compared to that in the younger population.
6. Lack of Professional Dental Care
Regular dental visits play a significant role in one’s oral health. The lack of professional dental cleaning makes people more prone to periodontal disease. It’s important to understand how regular appointments with your dentist can have a positive turnaround on your overall oral health.
8 Effects of Missing Teeth
Being wary of the dangers of missing teeth can help you be more careful and strict with your dental regimen. Aside from cosmetic and self-esteem concerns, there are more serious health issues you might experience when one or two of your teeth are missing.
1. Eating Problems
One of the obvious effects of missing teeth is how to chew food properly. Your teeth are responsible for the breakdown of the food you eat. Your incisors are used for biting, while your premolars and molars are for grinding the food. When any of your teeth are missing, your chewing process is compromised. This leads to difficulty in consuming food.
When someone has missing teeth, they may only opt for easy-to-chew food items and avoid nutritious food that requires more chewing. The change in diet and lack of nutritious foods may result not only in digestive problems but also a compromised nutrition intake.
2. Bone Loss
One of the several effects of missing teeth is jawbone deterioration. Your teeth rely on the health of your bone because it is the one that holds all the teeth in place. Grinding and chewing food serves as the exercise of your jawbone. The movement when you chew stimulates the bone.
When there’s a gap, the area with no teeth no longer gets the exercise it needs. With that, resorption happens. Bone resorption is a process that happens when the body absorbs the calcium from the jaw and spreads it to other areas of the body.
3. Crooked Teeth
One of the problems of missing teeth is that they may cause a misalignment on the rest of your teeth. When there’s a space, the remaining teeth will move and try to fill the gap. You’ll notice a change in the alignment of your teeth as they shift towards the area where the missing teeth used to be.
When you have crooked teeth, brushing and flossing can be challenging. There will be hard-to-reach areas where cavities and bacteria may grow. Food particles will get trapped, which may become plaque. If left untreated, you may develop an infection.
4. Bite Problems
With missing teeth comes the inevitable shifting of your remaining teeth. When that happens, it will affect how your teeth come together when you bite. An irregular bite promotes bad dental habits such as teeth grinding and clenching.
Anyone with this problem may experience teeth sensitivity, tension headaches, muscle pain, unnatural wear-and-tear, and damage to the enamel of their teeth.
5. Tooth Loss
When you have a tooth gap, you are at a higher risk of losing more teeth. The gap in your teeth affects the health of the surrounding teeth. This makes you susceptible to more missing teeth.
6. Facial Aesthetics
Your teeth help keep the shape of your face. When you don’t replace missing teeth, you’ll see a change in your appearance. Your face will look older and sunken.
7. Speech Impediments
Your teeth play a role in your speech. Teeth gaps may make it difficult to enunciate and pronounce certain words. You may experience splitting, slurring, or whistling when you speak. The speech impediments brought about by gaps can affect your confidence in striking conversations with other people.
8. Chronic Health Issues
Missing teeth may lead to chronic health problems. When bacteria builds up between the gaps of your teeth, it can travel to different parts of your body. They may worsen health conditions, such as:
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Kidney Disease
3 Dental Treatment Options for Tooth Loss
The good news is that there are several treatment options for missing teeth. It will depend on the extent and complexity of the damage. Your dentist will determine the suitable treatment for you.
Here are some of the options available:
1. Dental Implants
This involves surgically placing an anchor into your jawbone. A crown will be placed to cover and replace your missing teeth. With proper care and maintenance, dental implants can last for years. Another bonus is that it looks and feels like natural teeth.
2. Dental Bridges
This is both a restorative and cosmetic dental treatment. Dental implants are tooth-supported appliances, which are a good replacement for one or several missing teeth. You don’t have to worry about the adjustment period because dental bridges function and look like your real teeth.
3. Dentures
Dentures are also a great alternative to missing teeth. Your dentist will discuss the best type of denture suitable for you. They can replace several teeth or entire arches of teeth at once. Dentures are affordable and non-invasive, thereby making them a perfect solution for gum and tooth loss.
Combat the Effects of Missing Teeth With Century Dental
If you’re looking for a licensed dentist in Treasure Island, FL, choose Century Dental.
We have a team of dental professionals who are dedicated to providing the oral care you deserve. With our dental services, your permanent teeth are guaranteed to stay intact for years to come.
We offer a wide range of services such as implant dentistry, general dentistry, and Invisalign — all to help you achieve a healthy and beautiful smile. Schedule a dental appointment with us today!