Attitudes About Losing Teeth
Losing teeth is not always inevitable. True, an accident may not be avoidable. However, losing teeth due to gum disease may be avoidable for most people. It is really a question of awareness.
Most people are simply unaware that the number one cause of tooth loss is gum disease. Yet, gum disease, for many, is preventable. A little knowledge can go a long way.
Implants, dentures and other man-made solutions are all imperfect. Nothing is going to be as good as your original, natural, teeth. Mother nature knows best.
So, it makes sense to learn what you can about gum disease and do your best to prevent or mitigate it.
Every tooth you save reduces expenses and problems. Man made replacements may need maintenance or replacement at some point. This is also an additional expense.
Even if you have lost a tooth or two, it makes sense that you would want to keep as many of the rest as you possibly can.
If You Have Been Told You Need A Tooth Extracted
I can not overstate this: Go get a second opinion - period or "full stop" as the British would say.
A second and even third opinion can save you a lot of time, money and hassle. Many dental professionals today are quick to pull a tooth and install an implant or other 'solution'. Resist the temptation go along with that until you get a second and possibly third opinion.
You might be surprised to learn that another, unrelated dental professional may have a different idea. It may even be possible to save your tooth. Many periodontists have the skills needed to save teeth that other dentists would pull.
It might be a little work to find a doctor who wants to save your tooth or teeth. That's why you need to look around a bit. It is easier and economically beneficial (to the doctor) to pull and do an implant. But, as I mentioned before, periodontists know how to save teeth without extracting. Look around. You might find someone who will help you.
Save your teeth if at all possible. As I mentioned before, you can avoid a lot of present and future problems and expense by keeping your own natural teeth. In that light, it is worth the effort.
Prevent Further Problems
Prevention is your best friend. Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss and many or even most dental professionals tell us that 75% of people have some gum disease right now. Some think the number is actually higher.
You need an objective way to tell you what is going on. Fortunately, there is an objective measurement. It is called: Periodontal Pocket Depths.
Your dentist or hygienist should be taking and recording these numbers at every visit. They simply probe around every tooth to determine the depth that a periodontal probe can be inserted without resistance between a tooth and the gum surrounding it.
Generally speaking, 3mm or less is considered healthy by most dental professionals. This is as close as you will get to an objective way to know if you have gum disease or not.
Know your numbers and make sure they check them on every visit. One of the best tools that you can use at home to help the health of your gums is the hydro floss irrigator.
I used it and it reduced my pocket depths to normal levels. My dentist was quite surprised at my improvement. I no longer needed the SRP or 'deep cleaning' treatment that she was previously telling me that I needed. Those are expensive and potentially painful as well. I'm glad I missed out on it.
I'm not alone, others have experienced this too. The HydroFloss is a powerful tool, indeed. No guarantees that it will work for everyone who tries it. But it seems to me that it works for the majority of people I hear from.
You do need to know how to use it properly to maximize your chance for obtaining results. This is something I discuss with customers who buy their HydroFloss here at ToothyGrinsStore.com
Of course, you always want to be under the care of your dental professional. But now you know how you can have them verify your results - via those periodontal pocket depth measurements.
David for ToothyGrinsStore
1-888-586-6849
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