Why You May Need a Dentures Dentist in Palm Desert

As a dentures dentist in Palm Desert, we work with a lot of patients that are getting prosthetics for the first time, many of which thought that they would never be needed.  When asked about dentures, most people have never really given it much thought unless they are actively wearing or looking for dentures. This is not surprising considering how many people do not plan on losing their teeth. A recent survey found that, of all the participants, fewer than 40% had ever even thought about dentures or anything ever going wrong with their teeth. The number one reason for being extremely confident in the longevity of their teeth was their oral hygiene habits. People who take care of their teeth, engage in good oral hygiene, and are careful what they eat can, in fact, stave off the need for dentures or at least delay them. However, there were already over 33 million people with dentures as of the 1990's, and that number is expected to be 37.9 million by 2020, according to the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. This means that there are a lot of people who have never considered the need for an oral prosthetic that are going to need one. Certainly nothing is a sure thing, and dentures are not inevitable in everyone's future, but it's important to be informed. Knowing what to look for and what the signs of pending tooth loss are, is a good way to get ahead of the curve.

Nobody wakes up needing dentures one morning. Unless you have been sleepwalking and had a bad accident that cost you several teeth, the chances are that there was a slow build up in decay or diseases.  These conditions can eventually lead to tooth loss and the need for dentures. The easiest way to avoid most of these is to ensure that you are one of the 43% of American's that visits the dentist at least twice a year. The other 57%, are missing out on the opportunity to have their teeth and gums inspected, which can often lead to finding something before it becomes a problem. No condition automatically leads to tooth loss, except in the event of an accident where the tooth is too damaged to replace it.  With that in mind, you need to be aware of the potential for tooth loss and how to protect yourself in the event that you contract a disease that could lead to needing dentures.  As a dentures dentist in Palm Desert, we can help you watch for signs during your regular dental exam.

Having a severe toothache may be your first and most important sign that you have a problem with your teeth, including the potential that you have a gum disease. If this pain is also connected to bleeding and swollen gums, you need to come in and see us immediately. While over 70% of American's do suffer from bleeding swollen gums during their lifetime, having pain and swollen gums could be an indicator of periodontal diseases. Periodontal disease is a silent killer, doing much damage to the tooth below the surface in a way that is not immediately apparent. One sign that you cannot miss is if your teeth start to become loose or shift within the mouth itself. If your teeth start leaving larger than normal gaps between themselves due to shifting it is time to call a dentist.  If you do have gum disease, we can often treat it before you experience tooth loss.  If, however, you do lose a tooth, we can replace it with dentures or dental implants.  As a dentures dentist in Palm Desert, we are skilled at identifying what will be the best solution for you.