A Few Important Notes About Dealing with Tooth Loss

Not everyone will experience tooth loss, but everyone should be concerned about protecting their smiles from the things that can cause it. For people who do lose one or more teeth, it’s even more important to be concerned with replacing them as soon as possible. Dealing with tooth loss means different things for everyone, and our goal is to help make it easier for you. From helping you prevent the common causes behind tooth loss, to rebuilding and preserving your smile if you do experience it, we can help you avoid some of the more devastating consequences of losing teeth.

Learning what causes it

Depending on the specific cause of it, some people may be surprised when they experience tooth loss. For example, patients with severe gum disease are much more likely to experience tooth loss than those without it. Yet, because the condition develops in your gum tissues, it isn’t always an obvious factor in your risks for tooth loss. One of the most important factors in preventing tooth loss is understanding what often causes it, and what risks you might exhibit given the state of your oral health. Your dentist is the best source of knowledge to determine what your specific risks factors are, and how you can affectively protect your smile by lowering them.

Taking steps to prevent it

Once you know the common causes of tooth loss, such as gum disease and other chronic oral health issues, preventing it becomes a much more solid concept. For instance, if you currently have a clean bill of oral health and no existing oral health concerns, then keeping your smile consistently healthy with good hygiene and preventive dental care will provide your best chance at preventing tooth loss. By keeping a close eye on your oral health during regular exams and cleanings, your dentist will be able to spot changes that might indicate the development of an oral health issue. If you do have a concern to deal with, it’s important to address it as soon as possible (especially gum disease).

Dealing with it if it happens

Once you experience tooth loss, it’s important to realize that isn’t the end of your tooth loss risks. On the contrary, the absence of even one tooth on your upper or lower dental ridge can significantly increase your risks of losing more teeth in the near future. In addition to the consequences on your remaining healthy, natural teeth, such as exposure to uneven and excessive bite pressure, losing teeth also affects the integrity of surrounding oral structures. The most effective way to minimize these impacts is to replace the part of your tooth that interacts with these structures – the roots – with one or more dental implant posts.

Learn more about dealing with tooth loss

Whether your goal is to avoid it ever occurring, or to preserve your smile after it does, we can help you more successfully deal with tooth loss. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Yelena Popkova D.D.S. in Merrimack, NH, today at 603-595-9400. We also serve the residents of Nashua, Hudson, Manchester, Milford, and all surrounding communities.