How can tooth loss affect your health?

It is a fact that human teeth are stronger than the bones in the human body. But unlike bones, if a tooth gets cracked or broken, it cannot heal by itself. Therefore, maintaining excellent oral health is essential to keep your teeth in the best condition. Without proper oral hygiene and teeth maintenance, your teeth are vulnerable to infections and gum diseases. Gum problems can often result in tooth loss if not treated for a long time. It is essential to get the proper dental treatment if you have a missing tooth to prevent any complications associated with tooth loss. Tooth loss not only affects your smile’s aesthetics but also your ability to chew. Many people opt for dental implants in Plymouth, MI, as it is one of the best ways to replace missing or damaged teeth.  

Tooth loss can affect your health in the following ways:

1. Reduced ability to chew 

If you have any missing teeth, your mouth’s ability to chew would be significantly reduced. It can also restrict you from eating your favorite foods as you need to be conscious about chewing while eating. 

2.                  Bone loss 

The bone in the area with a missing tooth starts to shrink immediately after you have lost the tooth. Without the proper support, it affects the shape of your jawbone and face. Getting dental implants is the best way to stimulate bone growth and prevent the bone from shrinking and.

3.                  Risk of malnutrition 

Tooth loss usually affects your ability to consume solid food. You may also need to restrict your diet to soft foods, especially if you have more than one missing tooth. Only consuming soft foods may not be able to provide your body the proper nutrition it needs. Therefore, there is always a risk of malnutrition, which may affect your face and body’s appearance.

4.                  Risks for adjacent teeth 

Tooth loss does not only affect the bone underneath the missing tooth, but it also affects the adjacent teeth in that area. Your teeth uniformly use pressure on the teeth on either side of them. This allows all of the teeth in your mouth to depend on support from the adjacent teeth to stay intact in the soft gum tissue. When that support is missing due to the missing teeth gap, the neighboring teeth become loose and start to drift inward. It increases the risk of gum problems and may even lead to further tooth loss of the adjacent teeth.

5.                  Effects on socializing skills 

Your smile is the first thing that people notice. When you have a missing tooth, it is very natural to feel conscious when smiling in public. So if you have a missing tooth, you may start to refrain from smiling and talking much in public to save yourself from the embarrassment or the fear that people might notice your missing tooth. It can adversely affect your socializing skills.

6.                  Adverse effects on mental health 

Smiling and socializing are integral parts of mental health. Some people may develop an inferiority complex, low self-esteem, and low confidence if they have missing teeth, leading to a negative impact on the mental health of the person.  

Tooth loss can affect a person both physically and psychologically in many ways. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain good oral hygiene and get proper treatment for any developing gum problems. The best way to prevent tooth loss would be to schedule regular dental examinations with a dental expert in Plymouth, MI. However, if you have a missing, cracked, or damaged tooth, it is best to consult with a dentist regarding your various dental treatment options.  

Schedule a dental assessment today to know whether you would be an ideal candidate for dental implants in Michigan.