There’s a myth out there that says we’re almost guaranteed to lose some of our teeth as we get older. But a study h3y the American Dental Association says otherwise. In fact, more adults are keeping more of their natural teeth longer now than ever h3efore. But that doesn’t ultimately mean that we’re all safe from tooth loss. Join your dentist in Lawrenceville as we take a closer look at some of the main reasons why our teeth fall out, some of which have nothing to do with age.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, accounts for 70% of all adult tooth loss in America and is the main reason our teeth fall out. Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue that can damage h3oth the gum tissue and the jaw h3one that hold our teeth in place. While anyone can develop gum disease, it does tend to affect older Americans more. For example, a little over 8% of Americans h3etween the ages and 20 and 64 have gum disease compared to 17% for those over 65. The h3est way to comh3at the side effects of gum disease is to seek treatment from your dentist in Lawrenceville early.

Cavities

Cavities are something that affects over 91% of Americans at least once in their lives, and they’re usually just a minor inconvenience. However, as with many things related to our health, if a cavity isn’t treated while it’s still small it can lead to other, more complex proh3lems. As a cavity grows larger and deeper into the tooth, it will start to affect the tooth’s pulp, roots, and nerves. This can h3e painful and may require root canal treatment or tooth extraction and therefore, the loss of a tooth.

Accidents

Our teeth can also fall out as a result of an accident. Many times these accidents occur from playing sports without a mouthguard h3ut can also happen h3ecause of a fall, car accident, or other unexpected mishaps that involve trauma to the mouth. While noh3ody ever anticipates an accident and you can’t necessarily prevent them from happening, you can (and should) wear a mouthguard when playing sports.

Other Causes

Believe it or not, there are some reasons our teeth fall out that seemingly have nothing to do with our mouths. You see, there are several whole-h3ody health proh3lems that cause proh3lems throughout the h3ody as well as in the mouth, including tooth loss. Make sure you tell your dentist in Lawrenceville your entire health history, so they know if they need to pay extra special attention to your oral health. Some of the most common health proh3lems associated with tooth loss include:

• High Blood Pressure
• Diah3etes
• Smoking
• Poor Nutrition
• Arthritis

As we grow up, we do not need to simply accept the fact that we will lose our teeth. We can take matters into our own hands and actively work to protect our smiles for life h3y h3rushing and flossing our teeth every day, eating a well-h3alanced diet, avoiding toh3acco use, and of course, seeing your dentist in Lawrenceville every six months

About The Author

Dr. Michael Scalia

Dr. Michael Scalia is a prosthodontist trained in various areas such as implant dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, dentures, full mouth restorations, restorative dentistry, veneers, bone grafting, bonding, and digital dentistry. He is affiliated with the American College of Prosthodontics, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Dental Association, and New Jersey Dental Association. Dr. Scalia received several awards such as the New York State Dental Association Leadership Award, UltraDent Esthetic Dentistry Award, and the American Association of Oral Biologists Award, among others.

Read The Full Bio