Bravery for Your Root Canal

If you think you are not someone who may need dentures, think again. While you may think of dentures as something that is reserved for older people, The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry projects that by 2020, 37.9 million people in the United States will need full or partial dentures. If you are unsure as to whether or not you may need dentures, here are some signs for you to better determine if you may fall into the 37.9 million people who will have them within a few short years.

The first sign is simple: You don't see your dentist the recommended two times per year. While it's probably not your favorite activity, seeing your dentist is very important to your overall dental health. Twice-a-year visits means any potential tooth decay and gum disease is treated, as those are two of the main players when it comes to teeth loss.

Here are the other things to watch out for:

• Swollen or inflamed gums. These two signs are indicative of gum disease. And if gum disease goes untreated, the gums can no longer do their job of holding your teeth in place. 
• Toothaches. Your tooth hurts for a reason. Extreme pain is a sign that tooth decay is present and progressing, and it's attacking the nerves that live in your teeth. If you catch it early, your dentist simply fills the tooth. But advanced decay needs more costly and invasive treatments, and no treatment at all means eventual tooth loss. 
• Difficulty eating certain foods. You may find it very difficult to eat certain foods, which can be caused by missing teeth, gum disease, cavities, or a cracked tooth. Catching any of these signs early means you may be able to save your teeth, but again, this all comes back to not seeing your dentist. Your dentist will be able to help you take preventive measures so you don't lose your teeth.
• Indigestion or stomach aches.  If you get frequent indigestion or stomach aches, you may want to look to your teeth as the source of your stomach issues. If you can't chew your food properly, you swallow bigger pieces, and this can be significantly hard on your stomach.  So if you don't have any of the above signs warning you that you may have problems with your teeth, stomach issues may be the result of problem teeth.

It all comes back to the beginning, and that's to see your dentist. Just one of these symptoms could mean nothing, or it could mean the start of tooth loss. The sooner you look into this problem, the more likely you can save your smile. For more advice, contact a dentist such as Tony Parsley, DMD.