5 Practical Ways to Prevent Adult Tooth Loss

Losing teeth happens for a few reasons, and the risk of losing all your teeth increases as you get older without proper care. To keep this from happening, let’s look at some methods of preventing it.

Getting a ‘visit from the tooth fairy’ is how many of our parents dealt with us losing our baby teeth as we grew up, but once we get older and our adult teeth set in, tooth loss can become a real problem. It is one of the most common dental problems we deal with, and different causes raise the risk of losing more teeth and dealing with other conditions as we age.

Knowing why you may lose teeth is important to keep it from happening, and fortunately, there are ways to preserve them longer. To find out more, we need to look at the causes of tool loss and examine the risk factors, the number of people dealing with it, and what you can do to lower your chances.

Dr. Ayed Hawatmeh and his experienced staff at Bravo Dental Group can help if you live in the Brea or Banning, California, area and you’re losing teeth or struggling with other dental problems.

Tooth loss data among adults

According to data from the American College of Prosthodontists, the number of people at risk of tooth loss is alarming, with 120 million missing one tooth and 36 million completely without teeth. In the elderly population, the rate of tooth loss is two to one, with 23 million completely lacking teeth and 12 million missing all of them on the upper or lower jaw.

Projections from this research reveal that the number of adults missing teeth is still increasing and could reach over 200 million in just 15 years.

Causes of tooth loss

Also referred to as edentulism, tooth loss is often the result of:

Periodontitis (gum disease): gum infection that leads to damage to your teeth and jawbone
Dental caries (cavities): when bacteria creates holes in teeth and does damage inside
Injuries to the mouth: collisions, accidents, and falls can loosen or break teeth
Bruxism (teeth grinding): subconscious clenching and gnashing of teeth

In addition to these common causes, several risk factors can affect your chances of losing teeth, such as autoimmune diseases, dry mouth, hormonal changes, smoking or using other tobacco products, bad oral hygiene, vaping, diabetes, and certain medications.

Prevention methods

To reduce your risks of losing teeth, here are some basic steps to take:

1. Improve your dental hygiene

It’s important to establish and keep a routine dental regimen every day, including brushing twice and flossing once to reduce the bacteria, plaque, and tartar that build up.

2. Make some dietary changes

Reduce foods that risk damaging teeth, such as starchy and sugary dishes that help bacteria erode the enamel that protects teeth.

3. Use mouth protection

If you’re highly active and expect collisions and falls because of it, wearing a mouth guard can lower your chances of loose or lost teeth.

4. Stop using tobacco products

Cigarettes, cigars, or additional forms of tobacco increase the risk of many diseases and other problems, including damage to your teeth.

5. Visit your dentist regularly

Visit your dentist regularly to ensure your teeth are in good shape or if you start to see signs of dental problems so they can get treated quickly.

Adult tooth loss is the reality of millions, but you don’t have to be one of them. Make an appointment with Dr. Hawatmeh and the staff at Bravo Dental Group today to preserve your dental health.