Even if you have been super diligent with your oral care, you could still find that your teeth don’t stand the test of time. Or perhaps, you have had teeth knocked out in an accident and are looking at a lifetime of replacement teeth.
It can be tempting to ignore those gaps, especially if they are on the side or at the back of your mouth, but if you take the advice of your dentist in Golders Green here at De-ientes Dental, you will get those lost teeth replaced.
Why the dentist recommends replacing lost teeth
When you lose a tooth, it may seem that all you have to cope with is a gap, but that gap creates knock-on effects of its own.
Firstly, of course, it’s much easier to get food trapped in that gap, so you will be more susceptible to decay. Well, you can clean your teeth very carefully, it’s true, so that solves that problem.
If only that was all there was to worry about. You’ve probably never even given your jawbone a second thought…
Under the gum
Your jawbone needs to have teeth in it. Take them away and your jawbone no longer receives the vibrations that emanate from your tooth roots every time your teeth meet against their team mate on the opposite jaw. Unfortunately, your jawbone interprets this as meaning that you no longer need it for chewing and it starts to break down, sending the nutrients back into the bloodstream for use elsewhere. This happens to the bone where the tooth used to be, and to the bone surrounding the teeth opposite the gap.
The jawbone shrinks back; so does your gum. If you have lost a few teeth, this shrinking is happening in several areas. If you’ve lost all your teeth, your whole jawbone will shrink and you’ll end up with a very thin jawbone and a pointy looking chin, like a cartoon witch.
Your other teeth
Teeth need each other for support. Take one away and the neighbouring teeth can start to move and tip over.
So, if you have lost teeth, take the advice of your dentist in Golders Green, and get them replaced as soon as possible.