Do you know what the dangers of missing teeth are?

How many Australian adults carry their natural permanent teeth throughout their lives? The answer from an Oral Health Trackers study says that many do not. Up to 15.5 percent did not just suffer tooth loss but suffered severe tooth loss. Severe tooth loss is determined by having 21 or fewer teeth out of the full set of 32 teeth.

When so many adults are losing their teeth, a good question to ask is, why? The answer lies in the attitude and behaviour of adults towards their oral hygiene obligations. A worryingly 90 percent of adults experienced dental caries which is a significant contributor to tooth loss. Failure to brush teeth twice a day (almost half of the adults surveyed admitted to not brushing twice daily) and lifestyle habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption compound the problem.

If failure to brush teeth is a huge problem for dental health, then not replacing lost adult teeth is another. This is because when teeth are lost, this triggers many serious negative consequences for the patient’s dental health, physical health and psychosocial health. Many dental practitioners recommend that finding a suitable missing teeth replacement device a top priority. For patients who qualify as suitable candidates, dental implants Bondi Junction are a top choice. This artificial tooth solution is highly favoured due to its identical look and feel to natural teeth.

Why replace missing teeth?

There are many obvious and not-so-obvious risks to not replacing missing teeth. Biting and chewing are dental functions that require each tooth to perform a specific task. If one tooth is lost this causes a disruption in how these functions are carried out and difficulties arise. Wearing a missing teeth replacement device, proper masticatory function is restored and the patient is once again able to enjoy a diverse variety of foods.

Gaps in teeth and crooked teeth are two of the main aesthetic concerns that relate to missing teeth. These two conditions have a devastating effect on the look of a smile making it more than likely that one is forced to hide such a smile out of embarrassment. A drop in confidence and its ill-effects on psychosocial wellbeing become main concerns.

Gum infections can be detrimental to your health too. Not filling in the gap left open by a lost tooth means that the open socket becomes vulnerable to infections caused by an invasion of bad bacteria and germs. It may even happen that bad bacteria is able to reach the roots of neighbouring teeth, risking their health.

Loss in jawbone density is possible. For jawbone density to thrive, it needs the stimulation provided by the roots of teeth. Without these roots jawbone deterioration becomes a real threat. A major advantage of tooth implants is that even the metal roots are adequate enough to provide that much needed stimulation.

Why put yourself at risk to all sorts of health concerns by not finding a suitable replacement for lost teeth? When considering any treatment plan involving a surgical or invasive procedure that there may be risks involved.  Before proceeding with a treatment plan, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.