Why a Missing Tooth Isn’t Just an Aesthetic Issue

Some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding tooth loss: 

• 1.2% of people aged 35-49 have lost all of their teeth
• Nearly 6% of people aged 50-64 have lost all of their teeth
• More than 10% of adults between the ages of 65 and 74 have lost all of their teeth
• Almost 20% of adults 75 years or older have lost all of their teeth

In other words, your chance of losing all of your teeth increases steadily with age. Other factors also come into play, including your race, socioeconomic status, and educational level. 

Although you can’t really modify risks like age and race, there are things you can do to improve your dental health and the likelihood of preserving your teeth. One of the most common recommendations Dr. Shawn Saidian at Century City Smiles and Orthodontics makes is to replace lost teeth. 

Aside from cosmetic reasons for considering a dental implant or other tooth replacement option, missing teeth can have a significant impact on both your oral health and your overall well-being. 

The problems with missing a tooth

It may seem extreme to say that a missing tooth can affect your health, but it’s true. Here are some of the ways missing even one tooth can impact you — and remember, multiple missing teeth amplify these issues. 

Speaking

Speaking clearly is essential, both because it makes life easier and because not being able to communicate clearly can lead to isolation. When it’s a struggle to make yourself understood, it’s a normal reaction to withdraw. 

Social isolation is a serious health concern. When you feel lonely or you don’t have close connections, you’re more likely to have one or more chronic diseases, mental health problems like depression, and long-term disability. 

Eating 

Missing a tooth can make it more difficult to chew, and if you can’t properly chew your food, it can impact both your digestion and nutrition. Having a varied diet that provides you with the necessary minerals, vitamins, and nutrients improves your health, while lacking these essential elements can diminish it. 

Even if you think you can still chew well enough, you may not be getting the necessary nutrients. 

Hygiene

When you’re missing a tooth, it may be more challenging to care for your remaining teeth properly. When your dental hygiene is less than ideal, it’s more likely that bacteria will thrive in your mouth, leading to decay. 

Decay is the number one reason for missing teeth, so it’s entirely possible that missing one tooth can lead directly to additional decay and tooth loss. 

Bone health

Each time you bite down, the roots of your teeth stimulate blood flow to your jawbone. That blood flow delivers nutrients to your bones, keeping them healthy and strong. 

When you lose a tooth, you lose both the crown, or visible part of your tooth, and the root, or part that is typically hidden by your gums. Without that tooth root, blood doesn’t flow to that section of your jawbone, and over time, it can begin to degrade. 

When you have a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, you get a prosthetic tooth root. The implant is placed in your jawbone, with a crown on top so that it functions like a natural tooth when you chew. 

Find out more

If you’d like to learn more about how missing teeth can affect your health, as well as what your options for replacement are, schedule an appointment at Century City Smiles and Orthodontics.