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According to National Institutes of Health, Nearly 50% of Americans over the age of 30 and 70% of people over the age of 65 suffer from periodontal (gum) disease. An abnormal immune system may result in gum disease and loose teeth.
There are many reasons why adults lose their teeth. The most significant factor is a decline in immunity, which increases as they get older. The second most common cause is a lack of care.
Studies show that adults become a little more careless than children as they age. Most adults are unconcerned about their oral health. As a result, they become ill over time and have diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and others. When people get over 65, about a quarter of them don’t have any teeth left.
Hello, my name is Ahtsham, and I’ve been a practicing dental surgeon for years. In this article, I will attempt to explain all of the major reasons why adults lose their teeth as they get older.
Adults who have loose teeth may be affected by the following factors:
Gum Recession:
It is basically another type of gum disease. In this disease, gum tissues slip back, as you can see in the picture below.
Studies show that adults are less concerned with oral hygiene. As a result, older people are more likely than younger people to suffer from gum recession.
A lot of seniors don’t take care of their teeth, which can lead to plaque forming. Plaque is a yellowish film that covers the teeth and if it’s not brushed away, it turns into tartar in a matter of days.
Minerals get stuck between our teeth and create tartar, also called “Calculus“. The growth of Calculus is usually the main reason why our gums pull away.
Gums are generally used to support our teeth. Gum recession causes supportive gums to be loosened, making teeth appear larger. We can sometimes see the root or bone beneath the gums.
In the end, calculus leads to your gums receding, increasing the chances of tooth loss. So, make sure you’re brushing and flossing regularly, or else you might end up with some terrible gum problems.
The Aging Factor:
We all know that aging has a big impact on living organisms. And nothing stays the same throughout one’s life. As we age, our teeth become more and more brittle.
According to the Msd Manuals, as you get older, your tooth enamel starts to disappear, leaving your teeth more vulnerable to damage, decay, and becoming weaker.
It’s clear that aging has an effect on seniors’ diets since they don’t have strong enough teeth to chew most foods. That’s why older people can’t eat stuff that’s good for them, which only makes their health worse.
As we get older, our teeth loosen due to the weakening of the surrounding tissues. This results in more loose teeth for elderly people.
Aging also affects the jaw bones, causing them to lose their grip on the teeth, making them more susceptible to loss.
As you get older, it doesn’t have to mean that you’ll lose your teeth. If you want to keep them strong, you should make sure to practice good oral hygiene.
Studies have shown that keeping up with good dental care can help you avoid cavities and tooth loss as you get older.
Hormonal imbalance:
According to Rotem Dental Care, Teeth might become loose due to hormonal imbalance.
Hormone changes may occur as a result of aging or pregnancy. As a result, you may have gum bleed, sensitivity, acute pain, and other symptoms.
Jawbones and gums support teeth by holding them tightly. The jaw bone can be affected by hormonal imbalances, causing teeth to become loose.
Depression:
A healthy mind is a condition for a healthy lifestyle and a depressed person can not care about oral hygiene, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
As people get older, their chances of developing depression rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC.
A depressed person behaves like a lazy person. He doesn’t care if his teeth are crooked or why he should visit the dentist. This laziness will physically ruin his life.
Depression and anxiety are directly proportional to each other. As people get older, their chances of developing depression rise. That’s how they get mentally sick also.
Bruxism (Clenching & Grinding):
Lots of people tend to clench and grind their teeth, which is known as bruxism. Women tend to be more prone to it than men.
If you have bruxism and you’re an older adult, the chances are high that you might end up losing your teeth compared to other seniors.
Bruxism puts a lot of pressure on the teeth, which can wear away the enamel and cause tooth mobility. Eventually, this may lead to your teeth falling out.
If the teeth are exposed to a great deal of force, their bones and gums can become weak and loose. If teeth grinding is done too often, it can result in the loss of teeth and cause intense pain.
Elderly people are more likely to grind their teeth than younger people. This may be attributed to a number of factors, such as excessive stress and anxiety, changes in their mouth, and tobacco use, among other things.
Dry Mouth:
As we age, it is not normal to experience dry mouth (Xerostomia). This can be due to a variety of reasons such as medications or radiation to the head or face.
It is more common in older adults to experience dry mouth than in younger ones. If you are experiencing dry mouth, you need to schedule an appointment with your dentist.
A dry mouth can be dangerous, as it can lead to an increase in calculus, receding gums, tooth decay, and ultimately tooth loss. The best way to prevent this from happening is to identify the source of the dry mouth and take action.
For example, if the dry mouth is a result of any medication, your dentist may be able to suggest an alternative. Additionally, if radiation is causing a dry mouth, the dentist should stop it. Regardless, it is important to address the issue of dry mouth as soon as possible.
