Do You Have Missing Teeth: 7 Risks You Might Deal With

Your mouth should have 32 teeth. If you don’t have this number, you have missing teeth, and that’s not a small thing to just sweep under the rug. There are consequences to missing teeth that you might not realize. 

1) Chewing Problems

When you eat, you want it to be a smooth experience. However, when you have even a single missing tooth, your teeth can shift and move towards the open space. In turn, it will affect your jaw, which will affect the way you chew food. 

Chewing becomes even challenging when premolars and molars are lost; you’ll be left with small teeth that are not designed for chewing. 

2) Speech Problems

Missing teeth and large gaps can affect your speech. You will find it hard to pronounce some words. Also, you will likely slur, spit, or hear a whistling sound when you talk. 

3) Poor Aesthetics

Missing teeth, especially on the front of your teeth can adversely affect your smile. In turn, this will affect your confidence, and you will be self-conscious about it. You might end up super conscious talking to people. 

And it’s not only about the smile with missing teeth, but you also put yourself at risk of a facial collapse that will make things much worse. 

4) Plaque

As your teeth shift towards the open space, they will leave pockets or gaps where plaque can form. The problem is that these gaps or pockets are difficult to clean and can lead to gum disease, cavities, and bone and gum destruction. 

5) Bone Loss

Bone loss is common when you have missing teeth. Your teeth support the jaw bone, and with missing teeth, your jaw bone will get weaker. This will result in bone loss that can affect many things, such as your chewing and speech. 

6) Sinus Collapse

Missing teeth can cause the sinuses to collapse as the floor of the sinus collapses into the space where the tooth was. 

7) Sensitive Teeth

Another consequence of a missing tooth is that once it’s gone, the root can be exposed. When this happens, you will become more sensitive to cold and hot sensations, which can be uncomfortable. 

How to Prevent Missing Tooth

The good news is you can take preventative measures to protect your oral health from missing teeth. Some of the things you can do are: 

• Brush properly: Brushing your teeth is one thing, but do you know how to do it properly? Use the right technique and make sure you do it at least twice a day. Don’t brush too hard or you might wear away your teeth’s enamel and cause gum damage. 
• Floss daily: Flossing is important! Therefore, make it a point to floss every time you brush your teeth. 
• Visit your dentist regularly: There’s a reason you need to see your dentist every six months—to keep your oral health in check. Your dentist can help pinpoint issues right away before they turn into tooth loss. 

Replace Your Missing Teeth

If you already have missing teeth, you can replace them with various treatments, such as dentures, implants, and other options. Remember these missing teeth consequences to help you take care of those pearly whites better. 

24/7 Emergency Dental Clinic offers various dental treatments to help you maintain good oral health. Make a dental appointment now! You can have a perfect smile in no time.