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Dental Implants Can Improve Your Overall Health
Over half of all Americans are missing at least one tooth. In addition to hurting your self-esteem, living with missing teeth will also damage your health. And it doesn’t just harm your oral health — it also threatens your overall wellbeing.
Natural-looking dental implants are the only restoration that actively counteracts the damage caused by missing teeth. By keeping your remaining teeth aligned and stimulating healthy jawbone growth, implants help protect you from major health risks associated with tooth loss.
Tooth Loss & Gum Disease
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that will wreak havoc on your smile when left untreated. In its early stages, the symptoms of gum disease include sore, red, and swollen gums and bleeding when you brush and floss.
As the condition worsens, the symptoms become much more severe. These symptoms include large pockets of infection around the base of your teeth, bad breath, loose teeth, and pain while chewing. If you don’t get treatment for your gum disease in a timely manner, it can cause your remaining teeth to fall out.
Fortunately, Dr. Kontos provides effective remedies for all stages of gum disease. But the sooner you see us about your gum disease, the easier it is to treat.
Preventing Additional Tooth Loss
In a healthy smile, all the teeth work together to keep one another in place. When you lose a tooth, your remaining teeth will begin to shift position. As your teeth shift around in your jawbone, they irritate your gums, leaving you more susceptible to gum disease. This is a dangerous infection that can cause you to lose even more teeth.
As your teeth shift position, they also create spaces where it’s difficult to clean, allowing plaque and tartar to accumulate. Unfortunately, plaque and tartar feed the bacteria that cause gum disease. That’s why losing a tooth can create a chain of events that leads to additional problems.
How Gum Disease Threatens Your Health
Gum disease doesn’t just devastate healthy smiles — it also damages your overall health. There have been a number of recent scientific studies linking gum disease to dangerous medical conditions.
Gum disease causes inflammation of your blood vessels, allowing bacteria to spread throughout your body.
Health Risks of Untreated Gum Disease
Research links the following conditions to untreated gum disease:
- Strokes
- Heart Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Osteoporosis
- Premature Childbirth
- Diabetes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults?
What kind of problems can occur from tooth loss?
What is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults?
The most common cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. Luckily, if you maintain a good oral hygiene routine by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily, you can avoid developing gum disease.
In addition to good oral hygiene habits, you’ll want to schedule regular exams and cleanings with Dr. Kontos where he’s able to assess your oral health and ensure your teeth and gums are in pristine condition. During these routine visits, he’ll also notify you of any areas of concern so we can perform any necessary treatments before they require more invasive procedures.
What kind of problems can occur from tooth loss?
If you leave tooth loss untreated, it can lead to a variety of dental issues, including:
- A crooked smile
- Bite problems
- Joint pain
- Headaches
Along with these issues, tooth loss can also cause misaligned teeth over time. Misaligned teeth make it harder to clean in between, which can lead to tooth decay and further tooth loss.
Protect Your Teeth and Your Health With Dr. Kontos
Living with missing teeth affects more than your confidence—it puts you at risk for gum disease and other health issues. At Emanuel Kontos, DMD, we provide high-quality dental implants as a permanent restorative solution to protect your smile and your health without worry. If you’re missing teeth, contact our Tarpon Springs office by calling (954) 793-4388 and schedule a dental implant consultation with Dr. Kontos today.
