Winter brings with it a myriad of potential health problems that can be hard to prepare for and prevent. For example, ice on sidewalks could easily cause many people to slip and fall, some of whom may hit their mouths on the pavement and lose a tooth or two. As a result, it may be necessary to get high-quality dental bridges to help if this situation happens.
Falls Can Easily Call Tooth Loss
Ice greatly increases the rate of falls throughout the winter, which can be a problem for many reasons. For example, a person could easily slip and fall, hit their mouth on the pavement, and crack a tooth. Some – particularly those with oral decay – may even lose a tooth if they hit their mouth hard enough. Losing multiple teeth all at once is even possible in some circumstances.
As a result, it is important to prepare for this possibility when winter comes around. Trying to learn how to master walking on ice, using canes or hand rails when possible, or avoiding icy areas all help with this process. But if a slip and fall happens anyway and a person loses a tooth or two to the ice, dental bridges can help to make their smile complete and whole again.
How Bridges Help
Dental bridges fill in the gap of a smile by placing an artificial tooth in place above missing areas of the mouth. They are supported by other teeth and are NOT pressed into the gums of the mouth. As a result, they are often easier for some people to tolerate and care for than other types of tooth-replacement tools, such as denture.
Healthline discusses four different types of bridges, including the traditional kind – a false tooth help in place by crowns – cantilever bridges – a normal bridged cemented to one crown, not two – a Maryland dental bridge – held together by a framework of metal – and implant-supported bridges – implants are inserted to help support the bridge. The type utilized varies depending on the state of a person's oral health.
For example, if a person loses multiple teeth in a row during their fall, a traditional bridge may not be possible because it needs strong supporting teeth on each side of the missing tooth. In this scenario, implant-supported bridges may be the best option. Some may even get a single implant for each tooth, though this option is more costly and time-consuming to install than bridges. You may like visiting dental bridge services websites to look around and learn more as you consider.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.