Tooth replacements have come a long way, but artificial teeth are still not as great as natural ones. Do your best to avoid tooth extractions, loss, and replacements. The best way to avoid a tooth extraction is to address the issues that necessitate extractions. Below are tips to avoid tooth extractions.
1. Prevent Dental Diseases
Various dental problems can damage your teeth and force you to extract some of them. For example, periodontitis (an extreme form of gum disease) can spread to a tooth's root and damage even the jawbone. Prevent such diseases by:
- Brush and floss daily to remove bacteria and food remains
- Limit sugary snacks that feed oral bacteria
- Get regular dental cleaning and examinations
- Maintain a healthy diet
- Get preventive dental treatments, such as dental sealants
Your dentist will give you further tips for preventing dental problems during your regular consultations.
2. Prevent Dental Accidents
Any accident that affects your mouth can damage your teeth beyond repair and force an extraction. Examples include automobile, slip and fall, falling, and sporting accidents. Such accidents can split, crack, or knock teeth out.
Do your best to avoid accidents, but keep in mind that you cannot eliminate all accident risks. However, you can reduce the risk of tooth damage in an accident. For example, you should:
- Use customized mouth guards to protect your teeth during contact sports
- Wear helmets with face shields while riding motorcycles
- Straighten crooked teeth to reduce the risk of damage in case of an accident
3. Treat Dental Problems Immediately
Dental diseases and accidents do not always result in extractions. You can save diseased or damaged teeth if you act early enough. For example, you should see your dentist for treatment at the first sign of gum disease. That way, the problem won't spread and trigger complications that require extraction. Avoid DIY or home treatments for serious oral problems.
Seek emergency dental care if you suffer tooth damage. For example, a dentist may treat your cracked teeth and prevent an extraction. However, germs can affect your teeth if you delay treatment, and the infection might force you to extract the tooth.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you avoid tooth loss or extraction. However, an extraction may be necessary if you cannot save a tooth. Replace the extracted tooth as soon as possible in such a case.
Contact a general dentistry practice near you to learn more.
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.