When people are young, their teeth come in through a process known as tooth eruption. But what if a person loses a tooth? For starters, the teeth around the empty space will start to shift, causing new problems. This means that the teeth can move forward or backward into the empty spaces. Perhaps this is nature’s way of sharing a burden. It is an engineering marvel, but it can become an oral nightmare. This can affect a person’s ability to chew their food well. This is important for good digestion and nutrition. For this reason, it is best to see a family dentist on a routine basis.
Structure is everything
While all teeth are important, structurally, the loss of certain teeth can bring about more severe issues according to Kingston Family Cosmetic Dental Center. Think about this in terms of the walls of a house. If a person tears down a wall that doesn’t support the home, the house will still remain standing. Remove a support wall and people have a bigger problem. The teeth are constructed much like a bow, however. If people have ever seen a stone arch, they know there is a cornerstone at the top that holds the arch together. Remove a stone and everything collapses. In the dental arch, people should think of their canines as a cornerstone. Lose one and the subsequent change is rapid. If a person’s teeth are straight, at that point, they will not be for much longer.
So why then, do people lose their teeth? According to Kingston Family Cosmetic Dental Center, the most common reason is due to periodontal disease, also known as “gum disease”. This is actually a condition that affects the jaw bone more directly. This is the result of a bacterial infection that leads to the permanent breakdown of the jaw bone around the teeth. Actually, it is the most common form of tooth loss worldwide. Because it is usually not painful, often people have no idea they have periodontal disease until their teeth begin to loosen and fall out.
Tooth decay and habits
Tooth decay is something many people think the main cause of tooth loss is. And while it is true that dental decay often leads to tooth loss, periodontal disease is apparent in terms of frequency. Habits can also lead to tooth loss, resulting from things like grinding or clenching. This is something that Kingston Family Cosmetic Dental Center sees as a “domino effect”. Sometimes clenching or grinding begins with the loss of a single tooth resulting in a lack of proper alignment. At other times, it may be due to stress,