No matter how responsible you are as an adult in caring for your permanent teeth, there will be inevitable instances that you and your pearly whites will face a fall out. It is not enough that you only practice good dental habits at home, but a regular visit to the dentist must be in place if you wish to strengthen your oral health. If you don’t have a dentist yet, you can consult with Dr Dennis Tan.
The teeth are extremely strong and hard. They play an important role in grinding our food and also in allowing us to communicate clearly with others when speaking. Losing our baby teeth is totally fine as those will be replaced by permanent ones. However, losing permanent teeth will prove to be problematic. The main reason why adults tend to lose teeth is because of periodontal disease. This condition doesn’t just happen overnight. More often, periodontal disease develops due to various factors, which can be prevented such as:
- Damage or injury caused by external factors – A lot of times, loss of tooth is usually a result of hard blows from accidents like bike falls, car collisions, injury from contact sports or from fights and brawls. Certainly, nobody plans for these things to happen. However unpredictable these situations might be, there will always be a way to protect yourself from getting into these scenarios and keep your teeth from getting knocked out of your mouth. For instance, using protective gears when playing any sport, driving with your seatbelt strapped on, or keeping your cool and walking out of a tension-filled place instead of throwing a fist at someone.
- Having bad dental hygiene – Practicing good dental hygiene should be done at a very young age for a person to develop a habit of keeping teeth that sparkle and shine. Sadly, not all children get to learn this at all. If this is missed out early on, then the chances of having your teeth sticking around for a long time are definitely low. It is never too late to start saving your teeth from falling out—begin with gentle brushing every after meal and make a dental appointment to have them checked.
- Having a poor diet – A bad dental hygiene plus a poor diet is a complete recipe for success if you are planning to live on a liquid diet for the rest of your life. Of course you do not want to miss out on all the gastronomic feasts that the world has to offer, right? So, you need to take excellent care of your teeth. Sweet and sugary food and drinks are the number one source of cavity and tooth decay as bacteria present in your mouth consume the sugar and form harmful acids that seep into the enamel of the teeth and cause damage. It is best to stay away from these types of foods and beverages. Not only do they harm your teeth, your body also gets low to zero nutrients from them. Instead, swap the high in sugar foods for those that contain little sugar and acid. Stick to foods that are minimally or completely unprocessed, like raw fruits and vegetables, water, and whole grains. If you can’t stay clear of sugar because of your “sweet tooth,” then remember to always clean your teeth after every meal.
- Having unhealthy vices – Smoking is one of the common reasons why people develop periodontal disease and lose their teeth over time. The smoke that is inhaled through the mouth harms the teeth and gums. Bacteria develop on the surface of your teeth, which can lead to hardened plaque to form on the surface of the teeth. In addition, the germs on the teeth can get beneath the gums, making it unhealthy and weak, resulting in tooth Your teeth and gums can be free from diseases once you quit smoking.
- Other dental or medical health issues – A dental condition that can cause tooth loss is called Bruxism or teeth grinding. This condition occurs when one is asleep. Chronic teeth grinding places pressure on the teeth and gums, which can lead to tooth loss as it weakens the teeth and loosens its firm placement. It is a challenge to know whether you have this condition or not since it happens when you are sleeping. If you feel like you may be grinding your teeth during sleep, you may ask your dentist to check your mouth for symptoms.
Dental implants in Singapore for teeth loss
If “prevention is better than cure” is no longer a statement that applies to you, then you can always turn to dental procedures that can restore your set of teeth and improve your oral health.
Dental implant is a popular choice in Singapore for restoring a missing tooth. For this procedure, the natural root of your tooth is replaced with a small medical grade titanium post that is fixed into the bone socket. The jawbone secures and cements the placement of the replacement tooth root as it grows around it during the healing process. After healing, an abutment, which is a small post that acts as a connector between the root and artificial tooth, is attached to the metal root. Once these are all in place without complications, your new tooth will be anchored to the abutment.
Dental implants are made to look and function like your natural teeth. Because the metal root is fused to the jawbone, you will not worry about losing your teeth while eating or talking. Simply put, a dental implant is a permanent fixture inside your mouth.
Am I a good candidate for dental implants?
While everyone can lose a tooth, unfortunately, not all can be a good candidate for dental implants. You may get a dental implant if you pass the following qualifications:
- You have enough bone for the implant to be anchored to
- You have healthy gums
- You must practice good dental hygiene
- You must be committed to visit the dentist regularly
Your dentist can do a routine check of your dental health and confirm if you are a perfect fit for dental implants. In case that you are not, ask your dentist what alternatives are available to fix your missing teeth.
Dennis Tan Dental Surgery
The Arcade, 11 Collyer Quay
#03-28, Singapore 049317
Phone: +65 6438 5622
Whatsapp: +65 8874 7681
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