A recent survey from the ACP shows that more than 178 million adults in America have lost one or more of their teeth. Everything from poor dental care and accidents to gum disease are the leading causes of tooth loss.
To prevent tooth loss, you may have to make some drastic changes and adopt some new habits. Brushing your teeth regularly is important and can help keep your teeth strong and healthy, but it may not be enough to prevent tooth loss.
This article will shed light on a handful of things you can do to protect your tooth.
How to prevent tooth loss
Start using an electric toothbrush.
Manual toothbrushes are the go-to option for most people, as they are affordable, lightweight, and easy to use. If you are using a manual toothbrush right now, you should consider switching to an electric one.
Dental care experts have pointed out that electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing food remains, plaque, grime, and debris from our mouths. When it comes to performance, manual toothbrushes just can’t compete with their electric counterpart.
Make flossing a priority.
Toothbrushes have their limitations. They can easily clean the surface of our teeth, but they can’t effectively remove the plaque, and food remains stuck between our teeth. This is where a flosser comes in. A flosser effortlessly removes tooth-loss causing debris that are stuck between our teeth.
Presently, there are different types of floss on the market. Be sure to pick the one you are comfortable using. And if the traditional string flosser isn’t working for you, you should consider using the water flosser.
Improve your diet
Adding healthy foods like leafy greens, fruits, and lean meat can go a long way in improving your oral health. The nutrients in these foods can strengthen your teeth and prevent some oral conditions.
Junk foods and candy may taste great, but they don’t have much nutritional value. Eating them regularly can increase the odds of losing your tooth in the future.
Visit your Dentist every couple of months.
Even if you brush your teeth regularly and floss, it is still important that you see your dentist once every six months. During your visit, they will properly examine your teeth and clean them if needed. Your dentists will also check for easy signs of oral conditions like cavities and gum disease.
Reduce your consumption of Acidic drinks.
Sports drinks, soda, and wine taste amazing. But they aren’t good for your teeth as they have a high acidic content. Drinking them now and then won’t do any serious damage to your tooth. But if you drink them all the time or you sip them all day, you are likely going to have oral issues in the future. Be sure to drink a glass of water after drinking soda, wine, or any drink with a high acid content. This will help normalize the pH of your mouth.
Wear a mouthguard
As mentioned above, accidents are one of the leading causes of tooth loss. Granted, there are steps we can take to reduce accidents, but there isn’t a way to completely prevent them.
Wearing a mouthguard is a great way to protect your teeth when accidents happen when you are playing sports.
Regardless of the activities you are engaging in, as long as there is a risk of falling, you should wear a mouthguard.
Final note
Tooth loss is preventable. Brushing regularly and flossing is the first step to improving oral health and keeping your teeth strong. Eating healthy and reducing your consumption of high-acid drinks can also help. Even if your teeth are strong and healthy, you must visit your dentist every six months. Regardless of the sport you are into, it is wise that you wear a mouthguard every time you engage in it.