Thursday, 3 January 2019

Consequences of Missing Teeth



Losing a tooth is not something that you would look out for due to clear reasons. There are many causes for losing a tooth (or teeth). In many cases, tooth loss happens due to progression of bacterial problems with the teeth, leading to a point where the teeth become loose and get out of the slot. In many situations, the same bacterial infections reach the point where it becomes crucial for the tooth to be extracted.

The tooth extraction may provide you some relief from the pain and infection but this relief is not long lasting. There are a set of problems that tend to occur due to that empty slot; such as weakening of other teeth and eventually the loss of many of them.

Reasons for the tooth loss
It would be worth mentioning the reasons for the loss of teeth.
  • The first to mention is the tooth decay. Tooth decay happens due to dissolving of tooth enamel and infection reaching the internal layers, i.e. dentin and pulp. If the pulp is not yet infected, the tooth can be saved with the help of crowning or filling. If the pulp is infected, root canal remains to be the only option for the salvage. The severely decayed tooth needs to be extracted.
  • Another reason, and the big one, for the tooth loss is gun disease. During the gum disease, the gums become too weak to support the teeth. And since this disease involves a lot of bacterial infection, the bone of the tooth is also lost. Things eventually lead to the tooth loss.
  • One of the reasons to lose a tooth is to get a hard hit on it. However, if you have got a mild hit that has injured your tooth by cracking it, it can still lead to the loss of that injured tooth. Extreme hot and cold temperatures can also make you lose your teeth.
  • Smoking is another reason you can lose your teeth. The effect of smoking is quite similar as that of gum disease because smoking can affect the blood circulation in the gums. In the end, the gums become vulnerable due to less immunity they have against attacking bacteria.
  • If you grind your teeth consistently, you can end up getting the chewing sides of your teeth worn down. The ultimate impact of bruxism is that the inner layers of the teeth start getting exposed. Hence, the bacterial infections find no resistance in infecting the inner structure of the teeth.

The consequences of missing teeth
It’s not over when you lose a tooth. The loss of tooth causes the creation of a gap which the other teeth try to fill gradually. Their motion causes loosening of many teeth in your jaws. Eventually, most of your teeth become exposed against the risk of falling out.


Apart from that, an empty gap is not something which is going to look great. You will lose your confidence and you will not be able to interact with the ones you know.

Good news is that there are options that you can consider for the replacement of your missing teeth. The Top one is the dental implant which consists of a metal root and a prosthetic crown which is as hard as a natural tooth. The strength of metal root allows you to chew the hard foods.

Other options include dentures and dental bridges. You can have a discussion with your dentist to know what option suits you.

Friday, 7 April 2017

What do Cigarettes do to Your Teeth


Cigarettes are something that many people speak out against, and many go after. While it causes a lot of various other issues in your body, this can do a lot of damage to your teeth.  But do you know how bad it can get? You might speak to your Roseburg Oregon dentist about this, but this article will highlight just how bad cigarette smoking can be for someone’s tooth health, and why it’s best to not do it.

The first and most obvious thing is tooth discoloration. Yellowing teeth is one of the most obvious signs that someone smokes. The chemicals within tobacco will stick to the enamel, causing it to stain. While tooth whitening will slow it down, if you continue to smoke, you won’t be able to completely reverse it, so it’s best to kick the habit as fast as you can.


Then there is the aspect of bad breath.  While some might say “your breath stinks, it smells like an ashtray” that’s not wrong.  Cigarette particles are found in the mouth after you finish a cigarette, which causes your breath to smell like that.  this also does attribute to the other long-term effects of bad breath. More bacteria will grow, which leads to bad breath.  Even with gargling with mouthwash and brushing, you won’t be able to get rid of the smell since it’s from gum disease, sores, and decay. The only way to fix this is to not smoke, and then go to the Roseburg Oregon dentist you have to help rectify the issues that you have.  Smoking also causes salivary gland inflammation, which leads to swelling that’s extremely painful and you might need to get surgery if you have salivary gland stones develop.

Then there is gum disease.  According to reports from the CDC, people that smoke are more prone to getting gum disease than those that don’t smoke. The risk will only increase with every cigarette you smoke, and these treatments won’t work as well on smokers.

The reason for that is because smoking will decrease your mouth’s chance to fight off the bacteria, which then causes it to build up and make its way to where the gums are. If not treated, the gums can pull away from the teeth causing the structures to weaken from this.  The most severe form is where the bone and tissue starts to break down, which causes it to fall out or you’ll have to take it out. If you lose teeth because your smoke, you’ll start to realize that it’s because your mouth doesn’t give a chance to heal. Smoking also counteracts brushing, rinses, tartar removal, and even flossing in many cases, so it’s not that great for you.

It can also delay healing.  Not only does it cause problems such as teeth falling out and surgery, it can also cause your body to slow down recovery from various oral procedures, and it also lowers the rate of implant procedures being successful.  It’s important to remember that the more you spend in this state, the more you’ll develop other complications. A dentist can help with this, but you’ll only make the problem worse if you smoke.

Then there is oral cancer.  About 50,000 people have oral cancer each year, with 80% coming from smokers. The risk only increases if you smoke and dream heavily.  You might start to notice this if you have a red or white patch along with difficulty chewing and swallowing, a numbness in your jaw, and ear pain. There might be other causes, but often, if you see this, you should go see a dentist right away.

For many people, they don’t realize just how bad smoking is for you. There are so many complications to this, and it’s imperative that you go see a dentist when you are smoking. However, it won’t fix the long-term results. If you want to save your teeth, and have a brighter, happier smile, the best thing for you to do, and really the healthiest thing to do, is for you to stop smoking. It’s bad for you in so many ways, and the long-term effects cause major problems.