When you’re young, losing a tooth can be one of the most unsettling experiences you’ll ever have. When gum disease gets worse, you might find yourself losing several teeth at once. Fortunately, you can still overcome this disheartening news by keeping your tooth until you see a dentist. And if that isn’t enough, here are five ways you can persevere even after losing multiple teeth when you’re a young or middle-aged adult.
1. Have hope
The last thing you should do is worry about end-of-life scenarios. But unfortunately, dental patients who lose teeth may be so sickened when they look in the mirror that they feel like they will never again look attractive, be able to eat well or have the sense of self-confidence they once had. But with options like dental implants, you can go to a dentist like Smiles by Dixon and follow the steps to get dental implants. Dental implants require an initial incision during the procedure, followed by the screwing of the implant using a torque control wrench. This process is virtually pain-free and can be affordable depending on your financial situation.
2. Visit the dentist more often
In 2014, 52.3% of adults in the U.S. reported having gone to the dentist at least once every six months for at least a few years. This percentage may have increased or decreased depending on the current economic situation, the average financial health of Americans, and the percentage of people who experience intense dental anxiety. The truth to remember is that visiting your dentist more often should be a priority if you lose teeth because you’ll have follow-up appointments needed to ensure the safety of your gums and other teeth. SO, don’t make the mistake of thinking there isn’t any hope of going to a dentist. Visit one today for a better dental future.
3. Take pain medication anyway
Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and in some cases, Aspirin are some of the medications that people take following a dental emergency. If you’re experiencing pain after losing one or more teeth, start looking for ways to cope while still taking pain medication. Yes, the medication may have unwanted side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea, but the pain from losing a tooth can go up your gums and into your head, especially if the lost tooth is the result of an injury. Now is the time to take pain medication if you need it, and worry about getting your tooth replaced or your situation fixed with dentures at a later date.
4. Practice self-affirmations
Your first instinct will be to beat yourself up and remind yourself that you’ll look ugly for life. While you may have found some hope from somewhere, that might not be enough if you get stressed out easily or have a history of feeling negatively about yourself. Self-affirmations are statements you make to affirm you have some skill or positive characteristic. These positive statements might be you telling yourself that you’re handsome or pretty, or that you have the courage to keep going even though you have gaping holes in your mouth. According to Mindtools, self-affirmations are particularly helpful for people with depression and low self-esteem. Try to put them somewhere when you write them down and you likely won’t feel as bad as you do now.
5. Continue taking care of your teeth
Continue taking care of your teeth even though you may despise the fact that you have some teeth missing. Gum disease can lead to other dental problems that may affect your entire health when not addressed. For that reason, you need to brush your teeth, floss, use mouthwash, and stick to a healthy diet so you don’t lose more teeth than you already have. As long as you keep taking care of your teeth, you might just get in front of your tooth loss problem once and for all.
If you’ve lost one or more teeth, don’t panic. Dentists like those found at Smiles By Dixon can help you schedule an appointment for dental implants, dentures, or cleaning to get to the root of the problem and stop you from losing more teeth. Stop your teeth from falling out by continuing to take care of the, and you’ll be on your way to having healthier teeth and gums.