If you’ve ever had missing teeth you know that the impact on your daily activities can be quite burdensome. In addition to negatively impacting your health, it can also have adverse effects on your general appearance and the way you perceive yourself. Read on to discover why replacing missing teeth is absolutely crucial for your oral health.
Each One Of Your Teeth Plays A Role
When it comes to making food smaller and easier to swallow, speaking, and smiling pretty each one of your teeth plays a crucial part. Unfortunately, for various reasons, our teeth can sometimes fail and need to be replaced. Sometimes this results in teeth that are missing for a considerable portion of time. What many people fail to realize is that a missing tooth can lead to a host of other expensive problems.
Internal Causes
Oral health problems pertaining to the teeth are caused by a variety of factors. One of the most extreme oral problems you can encounter is when a tooth dies. This occurs after an excessive amount of plaque has settled on the teeth, attracting bacteria and the acids they produce. These acids wear out your enamel and can eventually destroy your entire tooth if not properly treated. Another major cause of tooth problems is gum inflammation, which occurs as a result of bacteria inflaming the gums, which depletes the ligaments around the teeth to the extent that the teeth eventually pull back and the bone encompassing the tooth degenerates. This causes teeth to loosen and can lead to root exposure. It also makes it much easier for bacteria to form closer to your root, making it more susceptible to decay.
External Causes
External causes that lead to lost teeth include things like accidents that cause trauma directly to the teeth, gums, or jawbone. If you have recently experienced an accident that you suspect may have resulted in severe damage, the best course of action is to contact your dentist immediately, as he or she will be able to best determine whether or not the root has experienced damage.