Red alert
Symbolically, dreaming of falling teeth is not a positive omen, far from it. On the other hand, even in reality the fall of a tooth reflects a pleasant or otherwise desirable condition.
Losing your teeth is not simply an insult to the aesthetics of a smile and the harmony of facial expression. The fall of one or more teeth should not be overlooked because most of the time it hides a serious health problem. Interpreting the signals that the organism sends us - such as the teeth that fall out - is important to intervene promptly, anticipating any future complications.
Poor oral hygiene and diet
Depending on the circumstances, falling teeth can be a symptom or secondary cause of health complications. More commonly, the fall of a permanent tooth is considered the final result of a series of not entirely adequate attitudes, first of all the incorrect eating habits and the care of oral hygiene .
In actual reality, many people (especially children) are attracted by sweets and goodies of all kinds, starting with gummy sweets, hyper-sweetened snacks and caramelized sweets. The bacteria that inhabit the oral cavity certainly thank you and this goes to the complete disadvantage of dental health.
Let us briefly recall that excessive consumption of sugars alters the natural bacterial balance of the mouth, predisposing the individual to dental infections which, in the long run, can cause teeth to fall out.
Not to mention, then, the unhealthy smoking attitude: smoking cigars and cigarettes, as well as chewing tobacco, are completely incongruous attitudes that go to damage teeth and gums.
In addition to the objectively incorrect dietary habits and the very dangerous habit of smoking, even the poor (or incorrect) hygiene of the teeth and the oral cavity predisposes, over time, to the fall of the permanent teeth.
The rotting food residues that are not removed during the home cleaning of the teeth, associated with the bacterial mat (plaque) deposited on the tooth surface can undoubtedly encourage the formation of caries. The presence of bacterial plaque, which gradually corrodes dental enamel, not only progressively weakens the teeth by exposing them to caries but also promotes gum inflammation. In the long run, caries and untreated gingivitis can undermine the integrity of the supporting tissues of the teeth until they originate pyorrhea: in doing so, the basis for the fall of the teeth is laid.
Poor dental hygiene + incorrect eating habits → caries and gingivitis → weakening of the periodontium and inability to support teeth → pyorrhea → teeth that fall out
Other causes
Clumsy dental hygiene and unregulated diet are not the only causes that can progressively lead to tooth loss. To these is added a series of pseudo-pathological factors and diseases that can directly or indirectly involve the teeth.
Other possible causes of falling teeth include:
- Untreated dental infections : over time, even a small cavity can create exaggerated damage if it is not carefully restored by filling. Hardly a cariogenic process stops (dry caries). In most cases the bacteria persevere in their destructive process: starting from the dental enamel, the microscopic enemies of the teeth pierce the dentin arriving in the dental pulp. Arriving at this stage, caries takes on a more precise connotation of pulpitis. If even at this stage the infection is not treated by means of devitalization, the damage can spread to trigger even more serious infections such as granuloma, dental cysts, abscesses and so on: in the long run, the teeth are now rotten and irreversibly damaged tend to fall.
- Bruxism : even if involuntary, the continuous grinding of the teeth can cause a progressive erosion of the surface of the teeth. In the long term, this behavior can weaken the supporting mandibular bone, up to encourage tooth drop.
- Serious vitamin C deficiency : among the numerous symptoms that scurvy can cause, we cannot forget the repercussions at the oral level. A pathological deficiency of vitamica C can damage gums and teeth indistinctly: the gums appear red, inflamed and subject to bleeding, while the teeth (now wobbly) are predisposed to fall.
Did you know that ...
Vitamin C deficiency is closely related to the formation of caries and gum disease. In fact, the pathological scarcity of this very important vitamin causes a marked reduction in salivation: in turn, dry mouth can contribute to the onset of dental infections since the saliva - being quantitatively insufficient - is no longer able to buffer the acidity of the mouth nor to protect the oral cavity from bacterial attack.
- When the teeth fall spontaneously from the mouths of very young children (babies and children under the age of one year), the presence of an autoimmune disease is conceivable. It is observed, in fact, that children suffering from autoimmune diseases are particularly exposed to the risk of gum infections, responsible for the early fall of teeth. Other metabolic disorders (eg diabetes) can also contribute to premature tooth loss in young children.
ATTENTION: the pathological fall of the milk teeth with the physiological one should not be confused. The loss of deciduous teeth is a completely natural phenomenon in the child. However, it should be noted that the fall of the teeth should generally be done within a certain age. Under standard conditions, the drop of milk teeth begins around the age of 5-6 years, ending at around 10-13 years. If your teeth start to fall after just a few months after birth, it is strongly recommended to request medical checks, as this could be a serious disease.
- Again, the teeth can fall as a result of severe trauma . A violent fall to the ground, a car accident or any other form of injury directly to the oral cavity can favor the fall of the tooth.
Prevention
Prevention first of all. The winning weapon to keep the oral cavity healthy while avoiding dental infections and gum inflammation consists primarily in perfecting the tooth cleaning technique, which should always be combined with a healthy and balanced diet. To all this, there is the need to undergo professional dental cleaning every 6-12 months, indispensable for removing plaque and calculus deposits that cannot be removed through the use of instruments for normal dental hygiene.
Among the basic rules to prevent dental infections (the main cause of tooth loss) we recall:
- Brush your teeth every day, at least three times a day and always after a snack
- Use fluoride-enriched toothpastes and prefer quality ones
- Use dental floss or brush at least once a day
- Limit the intake of gummy sweets, par excellence teeth teeth
- Do not smoke or chew tobacco
- Undergo regular checks by the dentist (at least once a year) to possibly surprise existing dental infections
- Follow a healthy and balanced diet, limiting the consumption of simple sugars to the maximum
- Consume fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants and vitamins: we have seen, in fact, that the lack of ascorbic acid can favor the fall of the teeth even in the absence of underlying dental pathologies
