Why are my teeth falling out


4 Things That Cause Teeth to Fall Out - Oral Health - Asheboro Dentist

Posted by Williams Dentistry & filed under General Dental Articles, oral health.

When many of us think about losing our teeth, we may assume that this is something that just happens as we get older. But, according to the American Dental Association, more Americans are keeping their teeth longer than ever before, which is great news! However, this doesn’t just happen naturally and there are things we need to do to increase our chances of keeping all of our teeth for life. Because of this, your dentist in Asheboro wants to share some of the most common things that cause teeth to fall out so you can do everything you can to avoid them. 
  • Gum Disease

The number one cause of tooth loss in American adults is gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. Gum disease occurs when bacteria work their way up under the gum tissue and settle in, causing an infection. This infection can be treated if caught early, but if it’s not taken care of, it will begin to destroy both the gum tissue and the jaw bone — both of which help hold teeth in place. Without this support structure, teeth will become loose and eventually fall out. 

  • Cavities

Almost all of us have experienced at least one cavity and know the discomfort that can come along with it. The reason cavities hurt is that a cavity is essentially a tiny hole in a tooth that may affect the inner workings of the tooth where the nerves and roots are held. The result is the all too familiar zing of tooth pain. Cavities can be treated quickly and easily by your dentist in Asheboro if they’re caught early. However, when they’re left untreated, cavities can destroy a tooth from the inside out and either require a root canal or result in a lost tooth. 

  • Accidents or Trauma

Even if you take perfect care of your teeth you may still experience tooth loss as a result of an accident or trauma. Tooth loss is an incredibly common side effect of many sports injuries and even car accidents or falls. While we can’t do much to completely avoid accidents or trauma to our teeth, we can take certain preventive measures such as wearing a mouthguard every time we play a sport. 

  • Whole-Body Health Concerns

Other common causes of tooth loss in adults don’t initially appear to have anything to do with the mouth and actually originate and directly affect other areas of the body. However, there is a strong correlation between what happens in our bodies and what happens in our mouths. Therefore, there are several whole-body health concerns that can increase the risk of tooth loss, such as: 

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Poor Diet
  • Arthritis

Nobody wants to experience tooth loss, but the good news is there are some simple things you can do to give yourself the best chance of keeping your teeth for life. Make sure you brush and floss your teeth every single day, avoid smoking or using tobacco products, and of course, see your dentist in Asheboro at least every six months for regular checkups and cleanings. 

What Causes Adult Teeth to Fall Out?

The adult teeth are meant to last a lifetime, but they can fall out if you do not take proper care of your teeth. Losing just one tooth can have a profound effect on your quality of life, your health, and your self-esteem. Fortunately, tooth loss is largely preventable. Routine professional dental care is crucial to ensuring optimal oral health, and routine oral hygiene at home is critical to ensuring your teeth and gums stay healthy.

What Causes Teeth To Fall Out?

Some of the risks for tooth loss include:

  • Gum disease: Periodontitis, or advanced gum disease that has progressed from gingivitis, is the main cause of adult tooth loss. It is a serious infection of the gums that causes the soft tissue to recede and destroy the bone supporting the teeth. Although it is common, it is preventable with good oral hygiene. Signs of periodontal disease include swollen gums, bright red or purplish gums, tender gums that bleed easily, receding gums that make the teeth look longer than normal, pus between the teeth and gums, bad breath, loose teeth, painful chewing, and other symptoms. If you notice any of these signs, make an appointment with your dentist immediately to diagnose and treat your periodontitis.
  • Poor nutrition: Your teeth need many essential nutrients to stay strong. Without a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin C. If your diet lacks these vitamins and nutrients, you are at an increased with of tooth decay. A poor diet high in acidic or sugary foods can also increase plaque on your teeth, which eventually can lead to cavities and weaker teeth.
  • Injury: Traumatic injuries to the mouth can dislodge the teeth, but it’s uncommon for the tooth to be knocked out completely. Treatment for teeth that break or are irreparably damaged may involve extraction and the placement of a dental implant.
  • Other health problems: Nearly 20% of patients who lose their adult teeth have type 2 diabetes, as there is a well-established link between gum disease and diabetes. Other health problems that may cause the teeth to fall out include high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune diseases.

How Can I Prevent Tooth Loss?

You can prevent the risk of losing your adult teeth by taking care of your teeth with regular brushing, flossing, refraining from smoking, and keeping current with your dental checkups and having professional cleanings as often as recommended.

Athletes can prevent tooth loss by wearing a properly fitted mouthguard for their particular sport while they are in action.

Treatment Options for Loose Teeth

  • Scaling and root planing: This is a type of deep cleaning that goes underneath the gum line to remove stubborn plaque and tartar buildup that cannot be removed with a traditional cleaning.
  • Dental appliances: A night guard while sleeping can create a protective barrier between the top and bottom teeth, and is also a good option for teeth grinders.
  • Extraction and placement of dental implants: Sometimes the tooth cannot be saved, as the gum disease, tooth decay, or injury is too extensive. In this case, the best option is to remove the tooth, place a bone graft in the open pocket where the tooth was, and proceed with placing a dental implant, which is the best option for the replacement of missing teeth.

Remember, regular oral hygiene is critical to prevent loose teeth caused by gum disease. You must brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time, and floss once a day. You should also keep current with your dental cleanings and schedule appointments at least twice a year, which may increase to every 3 or 4 months for periodontal disease maintenance.

Noticing you have loose teeth? Don’t delay making an appointment with Austell Dental Associates. Contact us today at (770) 467-3888to book your dental appointment.

causes and treatment - ROOTT

Main causes How to treat? Prevention Where to go?

Toothless smiles of small children seem charming to us. With adults, the situation is different. Lack of teeth not only spoils the smile, it greatly reduces the quality of life. Loss of teeth changes diction, leads to a violation of the oval of the face. Food is not chewed to the full, problems with the gastrointestinal tract and defects in the jaw joints develop. Loss of teeth can lead to social isolation, depression, neurological disorders.

Why do teeth fall out? The reasons are different, from injuries to inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity.

6 reasons why adult teeth fall out

1. Periodontitis (or parodontosis)

Our teeth are not just a root in the gum and a crown part on top. The tooth is surrounded by supporting ligaments, tissues, cementum. Healthy tissues securely hold the tooth in the alveolus. It performs all its functions to the fullest.

Poor oral hygiene contributes to the accumulation of bacterial plaque. From there, microbes enter the gums and cause inflammation. Periodontitis (periodontal disease) develops. In this case, partial or complete resorption of the supporting structures occurs. Pathological tooth mobility develops. Periodontitis and tooth loss are closely related, and in fact periodontal diseases are 11th most common in the world [1] .

2. Caries

The plaque that remains on the teeth after eating gradually destroys the tooth enamel, reaches the next layer - the dentin, and then the pulp (the base of the tooth). Running caries causes inflammation of the tissues around the root - periodontitis. Fistulas, cysts, and granulomas may form. The result is loosening and loss of teeth. Caries and periodontal disease are the main factors that lead to partial or complete adentia (lack of teeth).

3. Injuries

Lost healthy teeth? AT 20% of cases [2] Accidents are to blame: accidents, falls from bicycles, sports injuries. The World Health Organization classifies injuries as malocclusion [2] . It also serves to loosen, and hence the risk of tooth loss.

4. General diseases

When teeth fall out, the disease that provokes this may not be dental, but general (diabetes, lupus). Any autoimmune disease lowers the immune system, turning a small amount of inflammation into a major problem.

5. Wrong diet

To stay strong, dental tissue needs nutrients. Calcium, potassium, vitamins D and C, phosphorus, fluorine affect the condition of the teeth. Lack of vitamins and minerals weakens tissues. Food rich in sugars, acids and carbohydrates leads to the same result.

6. Bad habits

First up is smoking. Male smokers lose teeth by 3. 6 times [3] more often than non-smokers. Women - 2.5 times . [3] Smoking provokes periodontal disease, also masks the symptoms, bringing the disease to severe stages.

Second is bruxism. Most often, people grind their teeth in their sleep without even knowing it. Enamel is erased, caries or periodontal disease develops.

There are more than 6 reasons why teeth fall out, but the rest are not so common. You can’t stay without teeth for a long time, over time, a deficiency of bone tissue will develop, so before removing it, you need to immediately think about restoration. There are also rare diseases that can lead to tooth loss.

What to do if you lose teeth

Ideally, avoid this state. But if your tooth falls out or at least begins to stagger, you should immediately contact your dentist.

He will diagnose, consider all symptoms, and begin treatment to prevent the loss of other teeth or keep the loose one.

Only a doctor can determine the disease due to which the teeth fall out and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Treatment

Medical intervention is carried out in two directions. Physician's task:

  1. Prevent further tooth loss
  2. Restore dentition

In the first case, treatment depends on the diagnosis. This includes professional teeth cleaning and drug therapy, and remineralization (replenishing the lack of minerals).

The second direction is prosthetics. What threatens the loss of teeth, we discussed at the beginning of the article. Therefore, the task of the dentist is to restore the chewing function and the aesthetics of the smile. It is solved using:

  • Fixed prosthetics

Bridges visually restore the dentition, but in reality they cannot evenly distribute the masticatory load. They are recommended to be installed in the absence of 1-2 units. In addition, in order to put a bridge, the adjacent teeth are depulped (the nerve is removed), depriving them of nutrition.

  • Removable prosthetics

Removable dentures are used mainly in the absence of several or all teeth, and braces, in the presence of at least 6 good ones. If there are not enough upper teeth, then lamellar prostheses are quite firmly fixed due to suction to the upper palate. On the lower jaw, you often have to use a special cream.

  • Implantation

This is the only method that is as close as possible to natural teeth. The load on the implant stimulates metabolic processes and blood flow in the tissues. The bone tissue remains firm, keeping the oval of the face and the youthfulness of the smile. The load on the chewing teeth is evenly distributed. Well-chewed food does not irritate the mucous membranes. In addition, any type of prosthetics is applicable on implants.

Prophylaxis

To keep healthy teeth as long as possible, you need to eliminate the causes of loss. To do this, it is enough to follow simple rules:

  • brush your teeth thoroughly but gently;
  • use dental floss;
  • have your teeth professionally cleaned regularly;
  • visit a doctor at least once every 6 months;
  • give up bad habits;
  • establish a balanced diet;
  • use protective mouth guards during training or extreme entertainment to avoid situations in which the tooth falls out once and for all.

Where to go if your teeth start to fall out

In a clinic with a strong diagnostic base and experienced doctors. Do not chase low cost, but check:

  • what equipment is used to make a diagnosis;
  • whether there are certificates for materials and consumables;
  • qualification of doctors.

MCDI ROOTT has diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and implantation departments. Experts from different fields work in one place, exchanging experience and solving problems in a complex. Each department uses modern equipment and innovative technologies. Membership in the European Open Society of Dentists contributes to this.

The clinic has a customer support service, where you can contact with any question.

Come, we will restore your smile.


Sources:

[1] https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health

[2] https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health

[3] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/00220345970760100601

What to do if a tooth falls out

Edentulism or, more simply, tooth loss is manifested in children and the elderly, however, it can surprise even at a young age. The reason for this may be various diseases of the body, which will negatively affect the quality of life. The loss of even one tooth carries with it the consequences associated with subsidence of the jaw, changes in facial features and impaired diction. To avoid this, it is necessary to consult a dentist in time. A well-designed treatment plan will include procedures to eliminate the causes that affect tooth loss.

The main causes of tooth loss

It is possible to avoid a large-scale problem associated with the loss of a large number of natural teeth if it is possible to establish the cause of this process. Consider the most common causes of edentulism.

The presence of chronic diseases associated with pathologies of the thyroid gland, heart, diabetes mellitus.

Features in nutrition, which are reflected in the frequent use of especially hard foods. This diet leads to a split in the enamel, which in turn leads to a violation of the structure of the tooth, accelerating the carious process. It can also be caused by a diet consisting of soft foods. In this case, atrophy of the alveolar process occurs. In addition, due to the lack of solid food, the gums are deprived of massage, which disrupts blood circulation inside them. When chewing, give an even load on the entire jaw, without retaining food exclusively on one side. As an alternative to hard crackers and nuts, it is recommended to dilute meals with fresh vegetables and fruits, which have optimal firmness. Also, in the absence of allergies and intolerances, the use of dairy products, and in particular hard cheese, creates a nourishing and protective film on the surface of the enamel.

The cause of tooth loss may be an injury resulting from mechanical damage during a fall or impact.

    Improperly organized oral hygiene is a violation of the dentist's recommendations regarding the process of brushing teeth, which contributes to the development of diseases of the teeth and oral cavity. This item is the most common, since for most people care consists solely of brushing their teeth twice a day. Such manipulations are not enough to avoid the development of dental diseases. Complete oral hygiene includes cleansing all surfaces inside the oral cavity: teeth and mucous membranes. This will require not only a toothbrush, but also auxiliary items such as dental floss, rinse aid and a tongue brush. Thanks to these tools, cleansing is more thorough, so the reproduction of pathogenic microbes between the teeth and under the gums is minimized. Otherwise, the accumulated plaque becomes a stone, the removal of which is possible only in the dentist's office. Such deposits are the causes of caries and inflammatory processes that provoke tooth loss.

    Bad habits in the form of smoking and frequent alcohol consumption negatively affect the immune system, which provokes the development of infectious diseases.

    The most common factor that leads to tooth loss between the ages of 20 and 35 is chronic periodontitis. This disease is expressed in inflammation of the gums, which weaken the dental ligament. Among the complications of this disease include periodontitis, in the event of which the teeth begin to loosen.

    Without timely treatment of caries, the tooth crown is destroyed. In this case, the dentist removes and requires mandatory prosthetics.

    What to do if a tooth falls out

    As a result of a tooth falling out, you need to see a dentist as soon as possible. There are at least two reasons for this: you will take measures to prevent further development of the problem, and you will also be able to save on the restoration of a lost tooth. The savings lies in the fact that when performing prosthetics immediately after the loss of a tooth, the alveolar bone does not lend itself to dystrophic changes due to a long period of adentia, thus the patient does not have to pay for bone grafting. A timely appeal to the dentist will help to exclude the development of diseases against the background of which the loss of molars occurs.

    Treatment for tooth loss

    To minimize the risk of tooth loss, the following recommendations should be followed:

    • avoid excessive drinking and smoking;
    • use the recommended toothpaste and brush for oral hygiene;
    • adhere to a balanced diet, maintaining a balance between hard and soft foods;
    • visit the dentist's office for routine check-ups at least twice a year;
    • do not abuse or refuse super-solid foods;
    • timely treatment of gums and teeth;
    • carry out activities to strengthen the immune system;
    • observe complete oral hygiene by cleaning teeth and mucous membranes.

    The main thing in case of tooth loss that has already begun is to take all necessary measures that will stop this process. Methods are determined in each case individually in accordance with the cause that influenced the loss of teeth.


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