You shouldn’t wait until you’ve lost one or more teeth before taking steps to prevent it from happening again. After all, once you lose a permanent tooth, it’s lost forever. Luckily, preventing tooth loss isn’t necessarily complicated. Retaining all of your teeth simply means understanding the forces that cause tooth loss and preventing them from wreaking havoc with your oral tissues. With excellent oral hygiene, an adequate knowledge of dental disease and tooth loss, and the help of your dentist, you can preserve the longevity of your smile for years to come.
Feeding Your Oral Health
You’ve likely been warned that what you eat can impact the state of your oral health, such as eating too much sugar can increase your risk of cavities. However, not all food is a threat to your smile. Like the rest of your body, the structures that comprise your mouth rely on a steady supply of minerals and nutrients as fuel. For instance, a healthy jawbone, which is the foundation of your smile, requires calcium and other minerals to remain strong enough to keep its hold on your teeth.
Preventing Gum Disease
Preventing tooth loss is largely dependent on preventing gum disease, which is the number one cause of adult tooth loss in the United States. Your best chance at gum disease prevention lies in excellent oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice every day and visiting your dentist at least once every six months. If your gums become red and swollen, or if they bleed when you brush your teeth, then visit your dentist’s office as soon as possible to prevent gum disease from destroying your smile’s foundation.
ABOUT YOUR LAKE ORION, MI, DENTIST:
At Lake Orion Family Dentistry, Dr. Brad Greenfield works to improve patients’ wellbeing, as well as their oral health, and he is proud to offer holistic, 100% metal-free dentistry. To learn more, or to schedule a dental appointment, call our office in Lake Orion, MI, today at 248-693-6213. We proudly welcome patients and families from around Lake Orion, MI, as well as Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Clarkston, Oxford, all surrounding communities.
