“Mouths that insist on sweet things will hardly escape the bitter experience of dental disfiguring.” – Vincent Okay Nwachukwu, Weighty’ n’ Worthy African Proverbs – Volume 1
Are your teeth falling out? There are many reasons for tooth decay and subsequent loss. As the African proverb quoted by Vincent Okay Nwachukwu notes, most of these reasons are due to poor oral hygiene and diet.
At this juncture, it must be noted that it is perfectly normal for children to lose their baby teeth. This makes space for their adult teeth to push through the gums and into their mouths.
But if you lose your teeth as an adult, there can be major consequences. That’s why it’s important to exercise good hygiene to prevent tooth loss.
Why implement a rigorous oral hygiene regime?
We need our teeth to properly chew food as the first part of the digestive process. If the food we eat is not thoroughly masticated before swallowing, then digestion can be impaired. This, in turn, will affect our body’s ability to absorb the nutrients that it is supposed to from correctly digested food.
Thus, it is vital to prevent tooth decay and tooth loss by implementing a rigorous oral hygiene regime that includes regular visits to the dentist as well as a thorough daily brushing and flossing routine.
Consider dental implants
If you have already lost teeth, then it is imperative to replace them with some kind of artificial teeth. Historically, dentists used to extract all of your teeth and replace them with a set of dentures. However, this option is no longer ideal, although partial and full dentures are still available. The better option is dental implants.
Thus, should you need the gaps filled in between the teeth left in your mouth, it is worth considering dental implants as your first option.
What are dental implants?
In summary, dental implants are artificial teeth that are permanently inserted into your gums by replacing the “tooth roots with [titanium], screw-like posts and [replacing] damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth that look and function… like real ones.”
There are specific conditions that need to be met before a dental surgeon will start the implant surgery. For example, you have to be a non-smoker. The dental implant process takes time. Ergo, the titanium tooth roots need to be implanted into your jaw and need time to heal before the dentist fits the artificial teeth to the titanium posts.
Final thoughts
This article’s fundamental imperative is, in summary, that it is vital to look after your teeth. Otherwise, it will affect your physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.
