Do you suffer from missing teeth? Or do you know someone negatively affected by tooth loss?
Fortunately, relief can be found in the form of tooth replacement, including bridges, dental implants, or dentures. In this blog post, we talk about a few health benefits of replacing missing teeth.
1. Improved Nutrition
Tooth loss impairs a person's ability to effectively bite, tear, and chew food. Difficulty eating excludes certain foods from the diet and makes mealtime less pleasant, thus contributing to a loss of appetite. Sufficient amounts of macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals are essential for proper body function. Malnutrition is the result of a poorly balanced diet and loss of appetite.
Nutritional deficiencies can increase your risk of infection and a host of health issues, such as:
- Mouth sores & gum disease
- Brittle hair & hair loss
- Dry skin
- Dry eye, nutritional optic neuropathy & macular degeneration
- Osteoporosis
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Delayed wound healing
By replacing missing teeth, you can get the nutrients you need while enjoying your favorite foods. You’ll have more energy, less stress, and less chance of disease.
2. Protects Neighboring Teeth
A mouth with the typical 28 adult teeth helps protect enamel integrity and tooth alignment by sharing the load of chewing and preventing shifting. Enamel erosion increases the risk of decay and can cause sensitivity to foods and beverages that are hot, cold, sugary, and/or acidic.
In addition, missing teeth allow neighboring teeth to drift into the gaps. These changes in alignment can negatively affect how your teeth fit together, contributing to abnormal tooth wear and jaw dysfunction. Dental implants and implant-supported dentures prevent bone deterioration and keep neighboring teeth firmly anchored.
3. Reduced Anxiety
If you worry a lot about your missing teeth, you may avoid activities that once were enjoyable, such as smiling, eating in public, participating in social events, and even looking at yourself in the mirror.
Chronic stress and anxiety increase your risk of depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, and insomnia. Stress often leads to teeth grinding, which can cause head and jaw pain and damage the enamel on your teeth. Stomach ulcers and digestive troubles are also associated with stress.
Replace Missing Teeth to Optimize Your Health!
With a restored smile, stress and anxiety will give way to improved confidence and self-esteem. You'll feel more comfortable smiling in photos with your family, interviewing for jobs, speaking in front of people, saying hello to a stranger, and more! Above all, you'll feel happier and more capable of meeting the world head on. Restoring your smile's function and appearance will improve your quality of life in so many ways.
Our team is here to meet all your oral healthcare needs. Contact Gastonia Family Dentistry, your family dentist in Gastonia, NC, to learn about our restorative dentistry services and tooth replacement solutions!