Tooth loss is one of the most common diseases of civilization. Most often, a poor diet in conjunction with poor oral hygiene is the cause of tooth loss.
What is tooth loss?
Most often, a poor diet in conjunction with poor oral hygiene is the cause of tooth loss. Tooth loss is the loss of teeth. Every person goes through tooth loss during adolescence, which serves to change from deciduous to permanent dentition. However, this process must be distinguished from tooth loss in the later years of life due to disease. The displacement of the milk teeth is part of normal development and the associated tooth loss is completely different in progression from tooth loss in the second half of life: Thus, there is regression of the milk tooth roots, causing them to lose their hold and eventually fall out. When we talk about tooth loss, we generally mean the processes of the later years of life. However, this tooth loss is not a normal sign of aging, but rather a pathological loss of the tooth-supporting apparatus. The regression of the bone mass of the jaw eventually leads to the dreaded tooth loss.
Causes
Tooth loss can have a great many causes. Among the rare triggers are poisoning, for example with mercury. In addition, metabolic diseases such as diabetes are responsible for tooth loss. Inadequate nutrition can also cause tooth loss. For example, a lack of vitamin C once led to scurvy. This “avitaminosis” of ascorbic acid used to be considered an occupational disease of sailors, who almost always suffered from tooth loss. In western industrialized nations, periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss. An overly rich diet is the starting point of the syndrome, which affects almost everyone over the age of 40. For tooth loss due to periodontal disease, an excess of sugar and starch in our diet is considered the main factor. This is because carbohydrates form the food base for bacteria that trigger the inflammatory process of periodontitis. In the final stage, bone loss then leads to tooth loss.
Diseases with this symptom
- Scurvy
- Malnutrition
- Periodontal disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Metabolic disorder
- Poisoning
Diagnosis and course
Tooth loss due to periodontal disease always begins with inflammation of the gums. Triggers of this “gingivitis” are microbes that reside in large numbers on unbrushed teeth and form entire bacterial lawns, so-called “plaques”. If the pathogens get under the gums, infectious tissue damage initially begins there. In the initial stage, there are no symptoms, and only as the disease progresses does the patient notice that bleeding occurs when brushing the teeth. Now the dentist can detect the formation of gum pockets and determine their depth. An X-ray reveals whether the inflammation has already reached the jawbone. In this case, a decrease in bone substance is first visible between the teeth. If left untreated, this degeneration of the tooth-supporting apparatus can cause the teeth to become loose. If periodontitis has progressed to this point, it usually leads to tooth loss.
Complications
When tooth loss occurs, it is usually necessary to see a dentist to correct the problem. Here, an implant is usually placed in the place of the tooth that has fallen out, which looks exactly like the real tooth. If you do not go to the dentist when a tooth falls out, you have little chance of recovery. In this case, wounds and open spaces develop in the mouth, which usually do not heal on their own and should be treated by a doctor. If no dentist is visited, tooth loss can lead to the loss of further teeth. In addition, it is not uncommon for inflammation of the gums and inflammation of the surrounding tooth roots to occur. In this case, root canal treatment is necessary. The patient cannot treat the tooth loss himself and must consult a doctor. In most cases, medical treatment is also performed on an outpatient basis, so that critical areas can be covered with a filling. Those who choose an implant have a very good chance of healing and improvement. In the oral cavity, an implant behaves like an ordinary tooth and does not differ visually from the other teeth. Therefore, treatment for tooth loss is usually successful and the patient can eat and drink as usual.
When should you go to the doctor?
Tooth loss is caused either by external force or by the infestation of caries. In either case, the loss of a tooth should always be treated by a doctor. The permanent absence of one or more teeth can have permanent damage to the rest of the dentition and jaw. Therefore, anyone who has lost a tooth should not wait long to visit the dentist. Only a quick treatment can avoid serious complications. However, anyone who forgoes medical or drug treatment in such a case is taking a risk. If a tooth falls out, an open wound develops at the same time. Lack of oral hygiene can lead to severe inflammation at this site. Bacteria and viruses can settle in this open wound, so that the affected area becomes inflamed. At the latest when pus forms, an appropriate doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. If the treatment by a doctor is not carried out, the inflammation may even develop into an abscess. In the case of an abscess, the utmost caution is required, because in the worst case, even blood poisoning can threaten. If you want to avoid such serious complications at an early stage, you should immediately contact a dentist in case of sudden tooth loss.
Treatment and therapy
Avoiding tooth loss is therefore the goal of periodontal disease treatment. In mild cases, after scaling, the dentist begins by cleaning and disinfecting the gum pockets. This “curettage” is performed under local anesthesia and is usually repeated several times. In addition to this conservative therapy, surgical methods are available for severe cases. If the gingival pockets are very deep, the dentist must make relief incisions between the teeth in order to be able to clean the pockets completely. Laser treatment is a bloodless alternative. It is gentler than surgery with a scalpel and promises better healing chances. However, surgical curettage offers the advantage that a loss of substance of the jawbone can be compensated. This is done by inserting materials that can partially replace the bone. Membranes are also used to stimulate the bone tissue to form new bone. Often, in addition to these measures, the use of antibiotics is necessary. This systemic medication supports the use of disinfecting irrigation solutions, which the patient should also use regularly himself. Thus, the patient’s own initiative and cooperation ultimately prevent tooth loss.
Outlook and prognosis
It is usually not possible to stop tooth loss if it has already begun on a particular tooth. However, the doctor can limit the damage and prevent tooth loss of the remaining teeth in the process. If tooth loss in children occurs on the milk teeth, it is a common symptom. The permanent teeth will then grow back in the respective places. If the tooth loss occurs in an adult, an implant can be placed in the affected areas. As a rule, the treatment, production and insertion of the implant requires a relatively long period of time, during which the patient has to do without the respective tooth. After insertion, the implant remains in the oral cavity for an indefinite period of time. There is usually no pain or further discomfort, and ideally the implant will remain in the mouth for the rest of the patient’s life. If the tooth loss is not treated, it can lead to inflammation and infection in the oral cavity, so that the other teeth and also the gums can be affected. In most cases, tooth loss is also associated with pain, so that ordinary intake of food and liquids is no longer possible.
Prevention
So preventing tooth loss starts with oral hygiene. Routinely, dentists today teach their patients about effective tooth brushing through prophylaxis exercises. To clean the interdental spaces, people should also learn how to use dental floss and make it a permanent habit. Checking the dentition should be done every six months. On this occasion, the dentist also removes tartar as part of professional teeth cleaning. All these preventive measures prevent periodontal tooth loss.
You can do it yourself
When a tooth falls out, it should always be discussed with the dentist so that appropriate treatment can be initiated and serious complications avoided. If available, the tooth that has fallen out should be stored in a tooth rescue box and taken for medical examination. Alternatively, the tooth can be stored in an isotonic saline solution, alcohol or UHT milk. Saliva also offers a short-term solution. In addition, general first aid measures apply: if a tooth falls out, keep calm, cool the affected area and call the emergency dentist. The dentist needs all the necessary information to be able to prepare a suitable treatment and reinsert the tooth. However, the tooth should not be inserted independently, because this can permanently damage the root fibers and nerve endings. Also, the tooth crown should not be cleaned without medical advice. It makes more sense to consult a doctor immediately and to cool the affected area slightly in the meantime. If the tooth has fallen out as a result of an accident, the emergency room must be visited immediately. Heavy bleeding from the tooth cavity can be relieved with a cloth handkerchief or gauze bandage.
