Understanding and Managing Receding Gums: A Comprehensive Guide
Receding gums, medically known as gingival recession, is a common dental issue that affects a significant portion of the population. It can lead to sensitivity, pain, and even tooth loss if left untreated. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the causes, symptoms, and treatments for receding gums, empowering you to take control of your oral health.
What Are Receding Gums?
Receding gums occur when the gum tissue surrounding the teeth pulls back or wears away, exposing more of the tooth or its root. This not only leads to aesthetic concerns but also creates gaps where bacteria can gather and potentially cause serious oral health problems.
The Silent Epidemic
Often called a “silent epidemic,” receding gums affect a significant portion of the adult population. According to the American Dental Association, up to 47.2% of adults over 30 have some form of periodontal disease, which is the primary culprit behind gum recession.
Causes of Receding Gums
Several factors can contribute to gum recession:
Gum Disease: Periodontal disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis, is a leading cause of receding gums. In fact, according to the American Academy of Periodontology, gum disease can result in 30% of adults experiencing some form of gum recession.
Poor Dental Hygiene: Inadequate brushing and flossing can lead to plaque buildup, causing gums to recede. Simply put, your gums crave attention just like that houseplant you keep forgetting to water – neglect it, and it withers away.
Aggressive Brushing: Brushing too hard or using a hard-bristled toothbrush can erode gum tissue. Think of your gums as delicate rose petals; they need gentle care, not a heavy-duty scrub. Remember, it’s called “brush your teeth,” not “scrape your teeth.”
Genetics: Some individuals are genetically predisposed to gum recession. If your family tree has a history of dental issues, it might be time to give extra attention to your gum health.
Hormonal Changes: Fluctuations in hormones, such as during pregnancy, can make gums more sensitive and prone to recession. This often-overlooked cause highlights how interconnected our body systems are. During these times, extra gentle dental care is paramount.
Smoking and Tobacco Use: Tobacco products can damage gums and lead to recession. A study published by the Journal of Clinical Periodontology found that smokers are up to six times more likely to develop gum disease compared to non-smokers.
Teeth Grinding and Clenching: Bruxism exerts excessive force on the gums, leading to recession. This nocturnal habit not only disturbs your sleep but also terrorizes your gums. Consider wearing a night guard and discussing stress-relieving strategies with your dentist.
Maintaining good oral hygiene—such as brushing gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush, flossing daily, and using antimicrobial mouthwash—is crucial. Regular dental check-ups are also essential, as they allow for early detection and management of gum issues before they progress into more severe problems like gum disease and tooth loss. Dentaly.org
Symptoms of Receding Gums
Recognizing the symptoms of receding gums early can make a significant difference in managing and even reversing the condition. Here are some common indicators:
Sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks: As the gums recede, the roots of the teeth become exposed, making them more susceptible to temperature changes.
Visible lengthening of the teeth: As gums retract, more of the tooth is exposed.
Gum inflammation and swelling: Swollen and inflamed gums are often due to the buildup of plaque and bacteria at the gumline.
Bad breath: Receding gums can lead to persistent bad breath, a result of bacteria accumulating in the newly created pockets between the gum and tooth.
Bleeding gums: If your gums bleed even at the gentlest touch of your toothbrush or floss, it’s a typical symptom of gum disease.
According to the American Dental Association, “gingival recession is a condition that affects almost half of adults over the age of 30.” Early detection and intervention are crucial in preventing further damage and promoting healthier gums.
The Latest Research on Receding Gums
Recent scientific breakthroughs are revolutionizing our understanding of receding gums. Researchers have identified a complex interplay of genetic factors, microbiome composition, and systemic health conditions as key contributors to gum recession.
Genetic Predisposition
A study published in the Journal of Dental Research found that individuals with a family history of gum recession are at a higher risk. This genetic component underscores the importance of being proactive about gum health, especially if you have a family history of dental issues.
The Oral Microbiome
Our mouth houses millions of bacteria, forming what’s known as the oral microbiome. Changes in this microbial community can trigger inflammation and contribute to gum recession. Understanding the composition and behavior of the oral microbiome can open new pathways for preventing and treating gum disease.
Systemic Health Connections
Systemic health conditions, especially diabetes, add another layer of complexity. A study by the American Diabetes Association indicates that diabetic individuals are twice as likely to experience periodontal disease compared to non-diabetic patients. This connection emphasizes the importance of managing overall health for maintaining healthy gums.
Cutting-Edge Solutions
Scientists are investigating advanced regenerative techniques and biomaterials to promote tissue regeneration and restore gum health. One promising avenue is the use of peptide-based scaffolds, which have shown great potential in encouraging gum tissue growth.
Treatment Options for Receding Gums
Treatment for receding gums varies based on the severity and underlying cause of the gum recession. Here are some of the most effective options that modern dental science has to offer:
Scaling and Root Planing: This deep-cleaning method involves removing plaque and tartar below the gum line. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, this procedure can significantly reduce gum inflammation and improve gum attachment to the teeth.
Gum Grafting: In more severe cases, dental professionals might recommend gum grafting. Tissue is transplanted to cover exposed roots, helping to protect against further decay and sensitivity.
Regenerative Procedures: These advanced techniques aim to stimulate natural gum growth. Using membranes, tissue-stimulating proteins, or bone grafts, dentists encourage the gum tissue to regenerate. A study in the Journal of Periodontology found that regenerative procedures can significantly reduce the depth of gum pockets and restore bone levels.
Orthodontics: Sometimes, misaligned teeth can be the secret culprits behind receding gums. Braces or aligners can help correct these issues, distributing bite pressure more evenly and helping to prevent further gum deterioration.
Laser Treatment: High-tech laser treatments can be used to remove diseased tissue and encourage gum reattachment to the teeth. This minimally invasive option can reduce pain and speed up recovery time.
Natural and Home Remedies
While professional treatments are often necessary, there are several natural and home remedies that can help manage gum recession:
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Gentle brushing and flossing twice daily can stave off plaque build-up. Remember, overzealous brushing (with a hard brush) might actually be part of the problem. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology found that aggressive brushing is a common cause of gum recession.
Use a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush and Non-Abrasive Toothpaste: Opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently cleanse without causing harm. Choose non-abrasive toothpaste to avoid contributing to gum erosion.
Rinse with Natural Mouthwashes: Saline solution can help reduce inflammation and sanitize your mouth. The Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology notes that diluted hydrogen peroxide can also be effective against bacteria responsible for gum disease.
Apply Essential Oils: Tea tree oil, with its potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, can be particularly beneficial. Another study highlighted in the Journal of Periodontology found that patients who used tea tree oil gel experienced a significant reduction in bleeding and inflammation.
Prevention Tips
Preventing gum recession is easier than treating it. Here are some science-backed tips to keep your gumline intact:
Regular dental check-ups and cleanings: The American Dental Association emphasizes that “Routine dental visits are essential because they detect issues early on before they become major problems.”
Practice excellent oral hygiene: Effective brushing and flossing play a crucial role in preventing gum diseases like gingivitis, which can lead to receding gums if left untreated.
Avoid tobacco products: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that smokers are twice as likely to have gum disease compared to non-smokers.
Utilize a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals: Good nutrition is essential for gum health. Vitamins C and D, calcium, and other minerals found in a balanced diet can fortify your gums.
Protect your teeth and gums from injury: If you grind your teeth during sleep or participate in contact sports, a mouthguard can prevent physical damage to your gums.
“The cheapest insurance for your teeth is daily flossing—it’s a simple investment that pays off. And remember, you can’t drink battery acid and expect your teeth to thrive. A healthy diet, along with brushing twice a day and flossing once, is the foundation for a lifetime of dental health.” – Dr. Richard Walicki, General and Cosmetic Dentist
Conclusion
Receding gums can be a troubling condition, but understanding its causes and treatments can empower you to take proactive steps towards maintaining your oral health. The key takeaway? Don’t neglect the symptoms of receding gums. Pain, sensitivity, and the visibility of tooth roots are all signs that need immediate attention.
Preventive measures, such as using a soft-bristled toothbrush and avoiding aggressive brushing, can go a long way in protecting your gumline. Studies also suggest that lifestyle choices, such as a balanced diet and quitting smoking, can significantly reduce the risk of gum disease. Also, routine dental visits are essential because they detect issues early on before they become major problems.
For those already experiencing gum recession, modern dental treatments offer various remedies — from scaling and root planing to laser therapies and even gum grafts. Natural remedies can also play a role in maintaining gum health, but they should complement, not replace, professional dental care.
Remember, an empowered approach today can save not just your gums, but potentially your overall health tomorrow. Stay informed about the latest research and consult with your dental professional to develop a personalized plan for treatment and prevention. Your smile is worth the effort, after all!
Many people believe that since they aren’t experiencing dental symptoms – like tooth pain or bleeding gums – then all must be well.
Unfortunately, a sizable number of dental problems, including cavities and periodontal disease (bone loss around your teeth), just don’t produce obvious symptoms in their early stages. At least not symptoms that tend to be obvious to patients.
In fact, by the time people the average person experiences pain, his dental issue is typically pretty far along. And all too often, by then, the problem can also be quite expensive to handle.
It might amaze you to discover the types of problems your average dentist encounters every week, many of which you would expect to be painful, but they just aren’t. They can still result in tooth loss though.
Pretty much anyone who has ever worked in a dental office for any length of time will tell you this is so. And they will tell you that you can inform some people that they have a problem, but unless it is “real” to them, they just won’t do anything about it.
They may come back a few years later (or maybe sooner) – usually with an emergency – desperately wanting to save the tooth that you told them about earlier. Of course, by now, it may be too late. And very often they will have forgotten it was ever discussed at all, because it was never a realistic problem for them to begin with.
Human nature can be funny that way.
So, keeping that in mind, it’s generally a good idea to get checked out by a dentist. Regularly.
The best news you can hear is that everything looks great.
But sometimes getting a confirmation that you don’t have cavities or gum disease is not the only reason to get a dental exam. Over the years, I have detected cancer (not just oral cancer) – as well as a host of other non-dental problems – that might have been overlooked had the patient not scheduled an exam. Obviously, we refer patients to an appropriate specialist for treatment when we discover medical problems outside the scope of dental practice.
Other benefits of getting a dental exam: I can recall many patients who told me that what they thought were unrelated health problems simply resolved when their oral problems were gotten under control. These have included digestive problems, low energy problems, elevated blood cell counts, hypertension, and more.
Over the years, some people have told me they don’t want to get a dental exam because they don’t want to discover they have any problems. I guess that works.
Just maybe not too well.
Your overall health is connected to your oral health. Take a look at this infographic. Then think it over. . . .
Because tooth-loss so often creates long-lasting and generally negative effects for personal health and, not infrequently, appearance – the entire array of tooth replacement options has long been an important subject in the dental field. Dentists not infrequently discuss which options are best for their patients, given different circumstances. And if there is any debate in the profession at all, you can be sure the public will also question which options make the most sense for them.
The truth is there is no one right answer. Each person’s circumstances differ – whether the reasons are anatomic, functional, emotional, or financial.
But the question is still an important one to ask, because patients face new realities when they lose even one tooth. These changes include (but are not limited to):
Difficulty chewing
Altered speech
Food impaction
Jaw pain
Drifting teeth
And, then there are the secondary effects:
Poor health resulting from a changing diet
Compromised appearance
Self-consciousness/embarrassment
An inability to wear dentures
Financial challenges created by the need to address these problems
It is this last point that I want to touch upon here, because I have observed a good deal of confusion surrounding dental implants. As a dentist, I am obligated to review all options with an individual when discussing their tooth replacement options – regardless of affordability. I can’t, and don’t, pre-judge anyone financially when discussing their choices.
Commonly, though, when I raise the subject of dental implants, I get an immediate reaction along the lines: “Oh, forget it. I could never afford that. How about a bridge?”
Now, I’m not going to try to convince you that implants are cheap. Restore a full mouth with dental implants and it is likely to be costly. Nevertheless, cheap is relative. For some of my patients, even a small filling can be perceived as expensive. For my wealthy patients, they might be prepared to spend any price for what they perceive will serve them best. Lucky them. Right?
What I hope to do here, however, is to show you when an implant may make the most sense for a person. And — at least, when when it comes to replacing a single tooth — a dental implant may just be the way to go.
But first, permit me to remind you again – there is no one right answer for everybody. Your choices may be very different depending upon whether you are 25 or 85 years old, for example.
I’m sure you can fill-in still other reasons that affect your decision-making process. But for now, let’s consider the following scenario:
A patient loses one tooth.
For the sake of argument, we’ll call it a lower right first molar. Suddenly, the patient realizes this is annoying. Their bite is changing; their gums are sore. They feel the need to do something. Now.
Here are a few options. I’m just going to list the main ones, but there are sub-sets to some of these:
Do nothing anyway.
A removable denture.
A non-removable bridge,
A dental implant.
For the purposes of this discussion, the patient has already decided that doing nothing isn’t working for them.
So, the next option is a removable denture. I usually get “the face” on this one.
And with good reason. Food gets caught around partial dentures every time you eat. You will have to remove the appliance after EVERY meal and clean it separately from your own teeth. Certain foods will also cause it to dislodge as you eat, allowing some of the food to get caught between the denture and your gums. The cost – depending upon what kind of partial you have made – will typically range between $750 and $1,500.† The recommended replacement time: every 5 to 7 years. The reality – people replace them roughly every 15 years. Sometimes more. The longer they put off the replacement though, the more issues they may face with the replacement.
Bottom line: Removable dentures are potentially uncomfortable. Average lifetime replacement cost if you are 25 years old, (based on an average life expectancy of about 79 years, and an average 10-year replacement rate – not adjusting for inflation) is going to be nearly $7,000.
Next, we’ll take up considering a “bridge.” It’s called a bridge because it spans a gap (like a bridge spans a body of water) with a fake tooth, or teeth, in between the ones that are still there. The trouble is that you must shave down the supporting teeth to little stubs so that the result will look natural and be strong enough to take the force of daily chewing. For the most part, bridges look, and can often feel like, your natural teeth; but you do have to floss under the fake tooth after every meal. Food will get caught under there, whether you perceive it or not. If you don’t clean it regularly, the life expectancy of your bridge will be shorter.
Now, the cost on this option can really be widely variable, because some teeth need to have fillings replaced before they can be used as supports for the bridge. In other cases, the teeth may end up with root canals if the process of shaving them down results in lingering sensitivity. This doesn’t always happen, but it is a risk. If the tooth needs that additional treatment it will cost you more.
The average cost to replace a single tooth with a bridge is about $3,500. Again, that can be a little more, or less, depending upon what part of the country – or even what part of a city, you live in.
If, on the other hand, you also need to place or replace fillings on the teeth being used as supports, and you need to do root canals as well, it could be as much as $7,000.
Roughly, double.
The average lifetime replacement cost with the same parameters given above (25 years old with an average life expectancy of 79 years and a 10-year average replacement rate) is going to be: $31,500. And that assumes that the underlying teeth will be strong enough to survive that many replacements.
That brings us to dental implants.
Here is the breakdown: The average implant cost in many metropolitan areas is around $1,800 – $2,200. If you end up needing a bone graft before the implant can be placed, though, add another $550. (Basically, a graft is adding bone to your jaw when you don’t have enough for the implant.) So far, these costs are just for the implant. It doesn’t include the cost of the crown. Add about another $2,100 for the parts needed to make up what supports the crown above the gumline, and the crown itself. If your tooth is short, and there isn’t enough tooth height to which your crown can be easily cemented, you might need something called a UCLA abutment — it lets your dentist screw down the crown instead of cementing it. That could cost you more. How much depends upon the lab your dentist uses, but $500 more wouldn’t be unusual.
On the low end, one implant may cost $3,900. On the high end, let’s round up to $4,900.
So, what about the average lifetime cost?
$4,400.
That’s less than either partial dentures or bridges!
Why?
Because, unless you bite into a rock, grind your teeth uncontrollably, or have some serious illness that causes you to lose bone around the implant – any of which can happen to you with the other options as well – you will probably have your implant for life. Still, no one can guarantee this because, sometimes, plain ol’ dumb luck will factor into any equation.
But, you can’t get a cavity on an implant. On the other hand, you still can get a cavity on the teeth that support your partial denture, or bridge (and crowns, for that matter).
So, do the math. Look at your circumstances, and decide what is right for you. But when your dentist starts talking to you about dental implants, hear them out. It just might be more cost effective than you realize.
† [Note: The prices mentioned here are just averages in US Dollars at the time of this writing. Actual costs could be more, or less, depending upon where you live.]
First of all, what the heck is vitamin P? First discovered around 1936, the term is hardly used anymore – except maybe euphemistically for Prozac (fluoxetine) – which you definitely don’t need, unless you like playing Russian roulette with your health. Prozac is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous drugs on the market. More about that some other time, perhaps.
But, real Vitamin P is better known today as a plant classification called flavonoids or bioflavonoids.
[Because of my interest in natural health, I subscribe to a number of health-related newsletters. One of them (and I recommend this newsletter to anyone interested in sensible health and nutrition) recently reminded me of a subject I have already written about on a number of occasions. Namely, the importance of controlling inflammation, actions one can take to do so, and the nutrients that can assist with this problem. The newsletter I’m referencing here is called Health Alert, by Dr. Bruce West. Much of what follows in this posting comes from that source. If you are interested in subscribing, their number is 831-372-2103. I receive no financial benefit by recommending them. It’s just good information.]
Nevertheless, here’s why real vitamin P is important to your health, and yes, even more specifically – to your dental health:
The cells that line your blood vessels are truly amazing in terms of all the functions they provide. Their end-result have a great deal to do with how you heal. But they can’t do their job without the adequate nutrition that they need. And the prime nutrient required by these cells is vitamin P. Originally, vitamin P was named for an extract of paprika. Today, we know it better as bioflavonoids.
But if you are deficient in vitamin P, you are likely suffering from sub-clinical scurvy.
At one time, scurvy was considered deadly. Today, it is looked upon as an old disease that has been pretty much eradicated. But the less deadly version – sub-clinical scurvy – can be found in much of the American population. It’s even possible you may have it.
And while you probably won’t die quickly from scurvy as people did centuries ago, your odds of dying from damage to your blood vessels and the resulting strokes and/or heart attacks are significantly increased. If you notice your toothbrush looks a little pink when you brush, or if you have outright bleeding gums, or possibly blood stains on your skin as a result of leaking blood (Schamberg disease), or you have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, blood clots, plaque, stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, peripheral artery disease, and most other circulatory problems – you are suffering from sub-clinical scurvy and you need vitamin P.
Vitamin P feeds the lining cells of your blood vessels – called endothelial cells – and can restore your health after they have been suffering from a vitamin P deficiency. That makes vitamin P a natural anti-stroke, anti-clot, and anti-heart attack nutrient. It will help regenerate your endothelial cells to heal your blood vessels properly. It will even help to keep your blood flowing better (by making them less stick and sludgy) without the many side effects of poisonous blood thinners.
As a dentist, I know that vitamin P is also helpful in your fight against gum disease and tooth loss. More teeth are lost (worldwide) due to periodontal disease (bone loss around the teeth) than to any other factor. Vitamin P deficiency has a lot to do with this. But it doesn’t end there. Because of its direct effects on collagen, vitamin P can also help you with ulcerative colitis, frostbite, arthritis, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and more. It is even protective against radiation damage.
But, by far, its main benefit is to the linings of your blood vessels. And when it comes to your gums that’s crucial.
All kinds of products claim to be able to heal your blood vessels. Frankly, most of them don’t work. If you truly want to heal your blood vessels, then the most effective source of vitamin P, by far, is the juice of deep green buckwheat leaves harvested at the time of their peak nutritional content. Possibly, the most powerful bioflavonoid in buckwheat juice is called rutin. Now, most of us aren’t going to start an organic garden to grow buckwheat — that we then harvest at the optimal time — and then make juice from the leaves. And, fortunately, we don’t have to.
One company – Standard Process – does that all for us. They make the supplement Cyruta-Plus in a tablet that contains all the life force, nutrients, and bioflavonoids of the juice itself. If you have gum problems, or any of the other problems listed above, 2-4 tablets of Cyruta-Plus 3x daily, would be a good place to start. Give it one to two months to help repair the damage already caused by what has probably been a long-term deficiency.
If you are not easily convinced and need additional proof (other than observing the results for yourself), you can ask your doctor to have your CRP (C-reactive protein) level checked. Most people with blood vessel inflammation will have an elevated CRP in their blood. If this is you, this is an inflammation marker, and your chance of having a heart attack or stroke becomes significantly higher.
You might be tempted to try one of the advertised “super-potent, artery scrubbing” anti-oxidants which are advertised, like reservatrol or ascorbic acid. Go ahead and try it. Then have your doctor order a new CRP blood test. After that treatment fails, try Cyruta-Plus (9 – 12 daily for 30 days) and get one more blood test. See what happens. Chances are you will be both shocked, and happy.
Not only will you have helped your gums and teeth, but you will have lowered your risk of heart attack and stroke, you will have helped your joints by improving arthritis, your gut will enjoy better digestion, your skin will thank you, as will your legs. Plus, the potential for living longer is not a bad result either.
Common sense. Does it seem to you that this has become a rare commodity nowadays? Possibly, then, it is really uncommon sense that we should be talking about.
The latest example of an affront to logic – at least for me – lies in the latest media challenge to oral health. This morning various news agencies including The New York Times, suggested that maybe flossing is really overrated. Apparently, “officials” have never researched the effectiveness of regular flossing.
Now, millions of people are likely to jump on this as a justification for not flossing. But, in reality, the new media sensation is probably not going to change very much at the end of the day. Why? Because I can confidently tell you – based on more than 25-years of personal experience – most people don’t floss anyway. About all this latest “research” will promote is the possibility that some people will feel just a little less guilty about what others with any sense (common or uncommon) already understand is a pretty good idea.
But, it makes for good press. Doesn’t it?
Just for the sake of argument, let’s assume that flossing doesn’t remove plaque. Heck. Some people fail to remove plaque with a toothbrush. That doesn’t mean either fails to benefit the patient, if done properly. I can think of several reasons why flossing helps, though:
Passing floss between the teeth sweeps out the contact point between them – meaning the points where they touch. That’s a source of about 30% of all tooth decay. Your toothbrush typically doesn’t reach those areas, unless you have gaps between your teeth. Floss does reach those areas.
Flossing stimulates blood flow in the gums. One of the body’s first-line mechanisms of defense is to increase blood flow to an affected area. You are effectively helping your body do this in a controlled manner by flossing.
A number of the bacteria under your gums are anaerobic bacteria. That means they don’t grow in room air. So what is a person introducing into the gum pocket when they pull back their gums by flossing? Could it be . . . air? Is it possible that the oxygen in the air could kill some of those bacteria as well?
Think about it.
If we can set aside this newly created question of doubt for just a moment, I would propose that you ask yourself the following question:
“Have I ever flossed consistently?”
By this, I mean every day, and it would have to have included doing so for at least two weeks.
This question is particularly directed to someone if they ever had a gum problem like gingivitis or periodontal disease. Sure, one needs to get rid of tartar and control bacteria as well, but for patients that make the effort to floss (and with only a few qualifications that I can think of), it is almost a sure bet that their gums got better as a result of the daily exercise. First of all, the gums probably bled less afterward. Not in the beginning – to be sure – but after about two weeks of flossing every day, we typically see positive change. Breath improves too. An overall sense of well-being is not out of the question either.
When it comes to flossing sporadically, I agree. It doesn’t help much. It’s kind of like exercising once or twice a month. And let’s face it, that’s where most of the population lives when it comes to flossing — once in a blue moon. Is regular exercise effective, though? What does your common sense tell you?
Why would I hold on to this idea in the face of “new evidence”? Well, I have seen flossing help too many times to just call it a coincidence. Hard core scientists might say “Oh, well, that’s just anecdotal evidence. It doesn’t stand up to real scientific scrutiny.” OK. Then survey practicing dentists. Let’s see if I’m the only one with that observation and experience. I doubt it.
I’m not saying flossing is the only thing you need to do to have healthy gums. It isn’t. Diet and good nutrition are paramount. A healthy immune system doesn’t hurt either. But for Pete’s sake, flossing is cheap, really not all that hard to do once you have practiced it for a while, and it can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. With health care costs being what they are, I can’t think of too many actions a person can take that bear as much fruit and keep money in their pockets.
But, if the media has just succeeded in making you feel better about not flossing, then OK. Bully for them. (Heaven knows, they do a top notch job spending most of their time getting people to feel less than great.)
And, I suppose there are other ways to handle tooth loss – which, by the way, happens a lot more from gum disease than tooth decay.
The idea that losing teeth is an inevitable part of aging is a common misconception. While it’s true that tooth loss occurs more frequently among older adults, it’s not a foregone conclusion. With proper oral care and preventive measures, you can keep your natural teeth healthy and strong well into your later years.
Why Tooth Loss Occurs
Tooth loss can be caused by various factors, including:
Gum disease: This is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Gum disease is an infection that affects the soft tissues around the teeth, eventually destroying the bone that supports them.
Tooth decay: This is caused by bacteria that build up on the teeth and form plaque. Plaque produces acids that can erode the enamel, the hard outer covering of the teeth. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to cavities and eventually tooth loss.
Trauma: Injuries to the mouth or teeth can also cause tooth loss.
Other health conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as osteoporosis and diabetes, can increase the risk of tooth loss.
Preventive Measures
The good news is that you can take steps to prevent tooth loss and maintain healthy teeth for a lifetime. Here are some key strategies:
Practice good oral hygiene: This includes brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, flossing daily, and using a mouthwash.
Visit your dentist regularly: For professional cleanings and checkups.
Eat a healthy diet: Limit sugary foods and drinks, which can contribute to tooth decay.
Quit smoking: Smoking increases the risk of gum disease and other oral health problems.
In addition to these general recommendations, there are some specific things you can do to protect your teeth as you age:
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles: Hard bristles can damage your gums and enamel.
Consider using an electric toothbrush: Electric toothbrushes can be more effective at removing plaque and bacteria than manual toothbrushes.
Get regular fluoride treatments: Fluoride can help strengthen your teeth and prevent decay.
Myths about Tooth Loss and Aging
There are several common myths about tooth loss and aging. Here are a few of the most prevalent:
Myth: Losing teeth is a natural part of aging.
Fact: While tooth loss is more common among older adults, it’s not inevitable. With proper oral care, you can keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime.
Myth: You don’t need to see the dentist as often as you get older.
Fact: It’s important to continue seeing your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings, even as you get older. Regular dental care can help detect and prevent problems early on.
Myth: There’s nothing you can do to prevent tooth loss.
Fact: There are many things you can do to prevent tooth loss, including practicing good oral hygiene, eating a healthy diet, and quitting smoking.
Losing teeth doesn’t have to be a part of aging. With proper care and preventive measures, you can enjoy a healthy smile for a lifetime. Talk to your dentist about ways to keep your teeth healthy and strong as you age.
It is not without purpose that dentists repeatedly herald the fact that your mouth tells us a great deal. Yes, it will communicate — and without words — whether you have been brushing or flossing. But it will also tell us a story of your overall health.
For centuries, even the physician began his examination of the patient with a look at the head, ears, eyes, nose and throat. He would ask you to “Say aah.”
Ever wonder why?
The specific reason is that the sound you make elev
ates the soft palate and allows for a clearer view of the back of the throat, but it also tests the function of the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves. Doctors have an abbreviation they use to describe this evaluation: HEENT (head, ears, eyes, nose, throat). More recently, health professionals have been pushing for a modification to that standard evaluation, changing it to “HEENOT” instead (head, ears, eyes, nose, oral cavity, and throat).
Thus, health professionals can work together in the best interest of their patients. By performing a thorough oral exam, the dentist will often spot systemic problems and refer their patient to a physician for further evaluation. The family doctor can, in turn, evaluate oral health and alert the patient to the fact that it is time to see a dentist in order to get better.
Anyone following our blog or newsletter for any length of time has already been acquainted with the fact that what goes on in our mouths can affect the health of the rest of our bodies. Studies continue to show the links between oral and general health. By way of review – periodontal disease has been linked to complications with diabetes and pre-term labor in pregnancy. There is also a strong connection between poor oral health and rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, strokes, and Alzheimer’s.
The fact that we perform an oral (and oral cancer) examination during your bi-annual checkups and “cleaning visits” does not excuse you from seeing your doctor for general health problems, and vice-versa. We are professionals in oral health and regular maintenance in our office helps you to stay healthy. So you want to be certain that each time your family doctor ask you to “say aah,” they then say “good job – everything looks great!”
Dr. Richard Walicki is a dentist practicing general and cosmetic dentistry. While we hope you find the information contained herein interesting and useful, this blog is for informational purposes and is not intended to diagnose any oral disease. Dental conditions should be evaluated by your dental health professional or a qualified specialist.
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