How To Avoid Losing Your Teeth

By Jaklin Bezik, DDS, MDS

Metro Dental Health

. http://metrodentalhealth.com/

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How To Avoid Losing Your Teeth

The effect of teeth on speech, eating, and cosmetic appearance has always been clear for everyone. Without teeth the enjoyment and nourishment of food, the ease of speech, and the appearance of the face are impaired.

As teeth get lost, the jaw bone shrinks. This shrinkage creates very obvious changes in the appearance of the face reduced support of the facial muscles, increased wrinkles, and reduced height of the face all of which lead to the “aged look”.

The way you look affects the way you feel about yourself. But it's not just about the unsightly gaps between your teeth; it is more about the function that will be forever lost.

The effect of all this on the overall life of a person may be less obvious. According to a London based study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, tooth loss may be an early indicator of cognitive and physical decline in older adults.

In this study of 3,166 adults who are 60 years of age or older in England, it showed that the memory and walking speeds of those who have lost their teeth decline more rapidly than in those who still have some of their teeth.

My motivation behind bringing up this matter is to encourage all of the preventive care that can possibly be done, including regular dental checkups, taking care of periodontal infections as soon as possible, and brushing and flossing daily to prevent tooth loss.

Toothless people appear unhappy when their mouths are at rest because their lips cave in when unsupported by teeth, resulting in an overall condition known as “bite-collapse.” The tongue also spreads in the empty space created by missing teeth, resulting in the entire face collapsing.

There is not a day that I don't get these questions What if I don't do anything? But it does not hurt? What if I wait until my insurance starts? What will be the lowest cost?

It is true that we have advanced treatments such as dental implants or full or partial dentures to restore lost teeth. However, prevention is easier and better. Prevention is the best cure.

Please do consider the less expensive and the less invasive approach. By keeping your routine hygiene, follow-ups with your dentist, and completing the early treatments, you can prevent the loss of one of the most important organs in your body.