A healthy and strong set of teeth don't just allow you to eat and speak comfortably. They also affect your appearance in more ways than you might think. And although you could, theoretically, spend the rest of your life living fairly comfortably with many of your teeth missing or broken, your face will age at an accelerated rate.
You can pulp your food or eat foods that are soft and easy on gums and damaged teeth. But you can't replace the positive effects that teeth have on your face — unless you see a denturist or dentist.
Remaining Teeth Become Worn
Naturally, eating with missing teeth means that you have to use your remaining healthy teeth more than they can bear. Even eating softer foods with your few remaining teeth will cause excessive wear and tear. Not only are you using those teeth more than they are designed to be used, but you are also chewing and grinding your food with the wrong teeth.
The result of this is that your remaining teeth will break and eventually fall out or need to be removed.
Missing Teeth Cause Bone Resorption
Your jawbone responds to the pressure that chewing exerts on it. For instance, a full set of teeth reminds your body that your teeth are still in position, and this helps to keep your jawbone strong. A strong jawbone supports your teeth.
However, a lost tooth means that you no longer chew in that area of your mouth. You begin to chew your food in another area of your mouth instead. Thus, the chewing forces in that area are no longer present, and your body responds by taking away the bone that supported the once healthy tooth.
Your jawbone begins to shrink. The more teeth you lose, the worse the shrinkage becomes.
Jawbone Shrinkage Causes Wrinkles
Healthy teeth mean a healthy jawbone. The more teeth you lose then, the more bone you lose. This bone loss brings your nose closer to your chin and causes wrinkles around your mouth, along the side of your nose and above and below your nose. The support that once held your facial muscles and skin up is now mostly gone. As a result, you look older than you should.
Don't let tooth loss cause you to look old prematurely. See your dentist or visit a denture service and discuss with them how getting dentures can replace your lost teeth and keep you looking young and healthy.
