Our teeth are often the first thing that people notice when we meet them. It’s important to a lot of people to have pearly whites, which makes it all the more unsettling when we start to notice flaws or damages to our teeth as adults.

In many cases, tooth loss is within our control. Behavioral changes and good habits can take us from potentially losing a tooth to having great oral hygiene.

In some cases when oral health is neglected, decay breaks the tooth, which may call for a tooth extraction at general dentistry in Avon Lake ohio.

We’re going to talk about the top 5 causes of tooth loss in adults in this article, hopefully giving you some insight into how you can keep your teeth as long as possible.

Let’s get started:

Causes of Tooth Loss in Adults

It may not be a single cause that’s affecting your teeth. In some cases, a combination of the issues below will be the source of poor oral health, which means that there may be a few things that need to be done to bring your teeth back to their original glory.

1. Diet

One of the main causes of decay in adults is a diet high in sugars and acids.

It’s alright to eat sweets and acidic foods from time to time, but they should be balanced out by other nutrients and foods. Most importantly, try to avoid regularly eating candies and sugary sodas.

Each time you eat acidic foods, your mouth has to work hard to bring your oral ph back to normal. In the meantime, that sugar is digging away at your enamel.

2. Oral Hygiene

It’s hard to understate the importance of a good oral routine. Brushing and flossing have always been important, and it’s crucial that we establish good habits every morning and night.

Aim to brush every evening and every morning. Try to floss each night and use mouthwash if possible. If you forget to floss in the morning, don’t sweat it.

The goal of flossing is to prevent food in your teeth from breaking down and fueling bacteria as you sleep.

3. Smoking

Smoking tends to wreak havoc on our oral hygiene, not to mention cause a number of other serious health problems.

The best thing you can do for your health, oral or otherwise, is to quit smoking as soon as possible. Places like Riverside Dental Care can examine your oral situation and identify the causes of things like abnormal loose teeth, gum pain, and more issues that could cause tooth loss.

4. Gum Disease

Gum disease is typically a result of one of the factors above, but it can still occur in people who have good oral hygiene habits.

On top of brushing, flossing, and eating a good diet, make sure to schedule regular dental appointments to catch gum disease if it arises for some reason.

5. Physical Damage

Another common cause of tooth loss is physical contact. Those who play sports into adulthood are at a higher risk for this kind of damage, especially if they’re involved in contact sports.

Even non-contact sports like tennis can lead to a lost tooth, though, so be sure to wear protective gear during whatever sport you choose to play.

Want to Learn More?

Keeping yourself healthy is extremely important, and it’s possible to do things on the front end that will protect you from a number of health issues. Whether you’re interested in the causes of tooth loss or the risks of an unhealthy diet, we’re here to help.

Explore our site to find out all you need about healthy lifestyle choices and habits.