You generally take excellent care of your smile by brushing and flossing at least twice every day, and by visiting your dentist on a regular basis for preventive checkups and cleanings. So when you lose a tooth, or your dentist tells you that you need to have one extracted, your first question may be why..
The answer to that question, though, differs from person to person. Only your dentist can help you find out >why you lost a tooth, what you should do next, and how you can prevent it from happening again.
The Most Common Reasons
Gum disease
The most common reason for adult tooth loss is the presence of severe gum disease, or periodontitis. In its earliest stage, known as gingivitis, the condition may not seem severe, and you may not notice symptoms beyond occasional bleeding and seemingly mild gum irritation. .
However, as it progresses, gum disease causes rampant inflammation in your gums that can erode the tissues and eventually the jawbone structure underneath. These tissues and structures support your teeth by their roots, and as gum disease ravishes them, you can be left without enough support to retain all of your teeth.
Extreme tooth decay
Tooth decay is the reason why cavities (holes in your teeth) form, and usually, it can be successfully treated with a tooth-colored filling or, in severe cases, root canal therapy. For some patients, though, tooth infection can become so severe and widespread that even root canal therapy cannot save it, and the tooth may fall out or require extraction to prevent further complications.
What Should You Do Now?
In most cases of tooth loss, the best thing to do next is consult with your dentist about your options for replacing your lost tooth/teeth. In addition to the complications that lead to tooth loss, the loss of the tooth itself can lead to serious subsequent issues, which can be avoided by rebuilding your smile with an appropriate, lifelike dental prosthetic.
Find out the most likely reasons you might lose a tooth and how you can prevent it from happening, or how we can rebuild your smile if it does.
Schedule an Appointment
Our primary goal is to enhance the health and quality of life of every one our patients through customized, comprehensive dental care. Book an appointment Call Sunnyvale Dental Care today at (408) 720-0900. We also proudly serve patients from Santa Clara, Cupertino, Mountain View, San Jose, Campbell, Palo Alto, and all surrounding communities.