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What are the benefits of dentures?

Dentures are a removable prosthetic device for missing teeth. This can also cover the surrounding tissues and gums. There are two types of dentures; there are complete dentures and partial dentures. Complete dentures are used when there are no teeth remaining and therefore, act as a replacement for all of your teeth. These dentures rest on the gums of the jawbone. Partial dentures are used when only some teeth are missing. These are attached to nearby remaining teeth and rest on the gums and the bone where the missing teeth would be.

Aside from the aesthetic appeal, dentures can actually play an important role in facial structure.This is a critical function as it helps you to chew and bite your food properly. This, in turn, allows you to digest your food more effectively which prevents digestive issues arising. You can also imagine the difference it would make to your self-esteem. I don’t think there is anyone among us who would like to be seen among friends, family or colleagues with no teeth at all. Sounds horrible right? Needless to say, the major benefit of dentures is that it allows us to maintain our beautiful our smile and aesthetic appeal.

Top five reasons you may require dentures

Most people associate dentures with old age, but this is not necessarily the case. Many people of all ages wear dentures, either complete or partial. However, in most cases, the need for dentures is avoidable. Here are the top five reasons you may need either complete or partial denture.

1). You don’t visit the dentist regularly

Obvious problems like severe tooth decay as a result of inadequate dental hygiene may require the removal of some or all of your teeth. Did you know that more than one in three Australians delay or avoid dental treatment because they can’t afford it? That is more than seven million people! ( http://oralhealth.asn.au/facts). Needless to say, if you go to the dentist at least twice a year, you can avoid tooth decay that becomes bad enough, removal of teeth is the only option.

2). Playing sport

For those of us that play sport, particularly contact sport, there is always the risk of losing teeth through an accident on the sporting field. The chances of this happening can be minimised by wearing a mouthguard. However, for various reasons, not everybody wears a mouthguard on the sporting field. Even if they do, there is no guarantee that their teeth will be protected from accidental contact. If you are unfortunate enough to lose one or more teeth as a result of an accident on the sporting field, you may require a partial denture.

3). Indigestion

Can you believe that indigestion might be a sign that you possibly could need dentures? If you have sore or painful teeth, this may cause you not to chew your food properly. As a result, you may end up with indigestion. If you do suffer from regular indigestion, this does not automatically mean that you need dentures. However, this is an indication that you could have serious dental problems if your teeth are too painful to chew properly. In this case, a quick visit to the dentist will help determine what action is required.

4). You already have some teeth missing

Most people can live with losing back teeth, but when it comes to losing front teeth, they become concerned. The problem is that if you lose more than 2 or 3 teeth, that means the rest of your teeth are under more strain when chewing. This could mean that you lose one of your front teeth as a result. Therefore, having a partial denture installed for missing back teeth, helps to balance the load on all of your teeth. So even if all of your front teeth are intact, and your missing teeth happen to be at the back, you still might want to consider having a partial denture installed.

5). Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a gum disease which is characterized by red and swollen gums, and often accompanied by bleeding. Gum disease is responsible for approximately 70% of adults losing their teeth. The good news is, gum disease can be prevented and even corrected through proper dental hygiene. Therefore,  gum disease does not guarantee that you will require dentures. However, if left untreated, gum disease can go beyond the gums and lead to bone loss, which in turn can lead to loss of teeth. Loss of teeth means the need for dentures.

So there we have it. The clear message to take away from this article is that we all need to make a strong effort with our personal dental hygiene. This includes regular brushing and flossing and visiting our dentist at least every 6 months. If we do this, then we will not need any dentures unless of course, we have an accident from playing sport or from some other accidental cause.

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