Losing teeth might be acceptable during childhood, since these could be replaced as soon as the permanent set grows. Losing a tooth, however, will not only entail difficulty in chewing your food but can also have a lasting effect on your overall health. Listen to your San Diego dentist when they say that you should brush and floss daily and avoid a high-sugar diet to keep your teeth healthy and avoid tooth decay.

Poor oral hygiene is, of course, only one of the many reasons people lose their teeth to. Your diet can also greatly affect your oral health, especially if you’re fond of eating a lot of sweets or drinking sugary, acidic beverages. If this is the case, then you are likely to suffer from tooth decay.

How does tooth decay happen in the first place? A clear and sticky substance known as plaque forms between teeth and gums. Oral bacteria present in plaque feed on sugars in your food, releasing acids that attack your teeth for 20 minutes or more after each meal. These acids gradually destroy the enamel, the hardest part of your teeth, and cause your teeth to decay.

These are by no means the only factors that lead to tooth damage. For instance, if you have a condition known as bruxism—aka excessive grinding of the teeth and clenching of the jaw, which affects 40 million Americans—then you can expect to have chipped, worn-down, or even fractured teeth in no time. If you’re into sports, especially rough and full-contact ones like football, hockey, basketball, or martial arts, your teeth are likely to get damaged or fractured if you’re not wearing the proper mouth guard.

Although tooth loss is more likely to happen among the elderly, everyone is at risk of losing teeth due to decay or damage. In fact, a study even found that 27 percent of people lose their first tooth between the ages of 21 and 30. Tooth loss can cause speech and chewing problems, not to mention stiff jaws, weakening of other teeth, and the possibility of losing more teeth.

If you’ve fallen prey to the damaging effects of tooth decay, acquiring quality San Diego dental implants is a sure way to restore your smile and your overall health. Implants, with proper care, can last for 50 years or even a lifetime. Count on Experienced dentists, like those from A+ Family Dentistry to offer this and other restorative dental solutions.

(Source: Causes and Consequences of Tooth Loss, Studio Dentaire)