The Common Causes of Adult Tooth Loss

It happens so often as people get older that you might not even question it. But there are specific reasons for every case of adult tooth loss, and age is never one of them. In fact, the most common cause of adult tooth loss is gum disease—a condition that often results from inadequate hygiene and dental care. In other words, for most people, tooth loss is highly preventable. All it takes is a healthy understanding of what causes tooth loss and how to avoid those situations whenever possible.

Accidental trauma.

A healthy tooth consists of a root that extends below your gums and into a socket within your jawbone. Periodontal tissues and ligaments hold the tooth root in place, allowing it to absorb your bite pressure easily. With enough force, an accidental blow to the face or jaw can knock a tooth out of its socket, or force it partially out of the socket so that only a few tissues are still hanging on.

Severe gum disease.

Gum disease doesn’t just make your gums bleed; the inflammatory disease can destroy the gums, periodontal tissues, and the jawbone structure that form your teeth’s support system. The problem with gum disease is that it can go largely unnoticed until patients begin to notice symptoms, by which point enough damage has been done that one or more teeth no longer have adequate periodontal support.

Tooth extraction.

When teeth are too damaged to fix or too infected to restore, or when you have one or more teeth that threaten your oral health, tooth extraction may be the best option. Though the goal is typically to avoid tooth loss, removing a troublesome tooth can help you avoid more serious oral health complications in the future. Like most other cases of tooth loss, your dentist may recommend replacing your tooth as soon as possible after it has been extracted, preferably with a dental implant.

Avoid tooth loss by avoiding its most common causes. To learn more, call the Sunny Smiles dental office nearest you in El Paso, TX, today!