Use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone, and antiepileptic drugs, can lead to the loss of bone that supports your teeth. Bisphosphonates, drugs used to treat osteoporosis, can sometimes cause a rare condition called osteonecrosis of the jawbone, which results in destruction of the jawbone.
Make sure you're getting 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium every day from food sources. Take dietary supplements, if needed. Ensure you're taking 600-800 IU of vitamin D daily. Stay active and maintain a healthy body weight.
Ongoing gum irritation and swelling, called inflammation, can cause periodontitis. Eventually this causes deep pockets to form between your gums and teeth. These pockets fill with plaque, tartar and bacteria and become deeper over time. If not treated, these deep infections cause a loss of tissue and bone.
High blood pressure medications can lead to soft tissue reactions in the gum that result in abnormal bleeding, swelling and soreness.
Antihypertensives (taken to reduce blood pressure) – can lead to an increased risk of gum swelling and overgrowth. Aspirin – chewing aspirin can directly damage the tooth enamel, as aspirin is acidic.
Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, heart rhythmic medications and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are all commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure. These medications typically share the side effect of dry mouth, which may increase your chances of developing tooth decay⁸.
Sadly, it's not yet possible to stimulate the bone to regrow and rebuild the lost bone around the teeth. However, by developing good oral hygiene further bone loss can be prevented and advanced dental procedures available to replace the bone.
Left untreated, the bone in your jaw and around your teeth will continue to resorb, leading to more tooth loss, disease, and pain. There is good news! In most cases, dental bone loss can be stopped. And with expert periodontal care, you can actually regenerate bone and reverse bone loss.
Eat a healthy diet including plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy products. Maintain a healthy weight. Get 1000 to 1200 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day from calcium-rich foods and take a supplement only if needed.
Paradontax. Paradontax kills bacteria that get stuck between teeth and is also effective in cases of bleeding gums and combatting the early stages of gum recession. It's made from a combination of herbs, mineral salts, bicarbonates and fluoride.
Symptoms of bone loss
Changes in your bite and facial structure. If you wear dentures, bone loss can cause changes in the overall fit and comfort (i.e. they can feel loose or fit differently). Discomfort when you chew. Shifting or loosening of your teeth.
One of the most common causes is periodontal disease, which is an infection of the gums that can destroy the tissues and bone that support the teeth.
Methamphetamine – also called ice, crystal meth, glass, shards or puff. This drug causes severe tooth decay in a very short time. The term 'meth mouth' is used to describe the extensive damage typically caused by this drug. Methamphetamine is highly acidic and attacks tooth enamel.
Gum disease—Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is the No. 1 cause of tooth loss in adults. It is a serious infection that affects the soft tissue and bone supporting your teeth. Without treatment, gum disease can destroy the supporting bone and cause tooth loss.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C strengthens your gums and the soft tissue in your mouth. It can protect against gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, and can prevent your teeth from loosening. Did you know that many animals (like elephants and dogs) create vitamin C in their bodies, even though humans can't?
Adequate vitamin D and calcium make bones and teeth denser and far stronger, which helps prevent fractures and cracks.
In some cases, it's possible for jaw bone regeneration to occur. In other instances, jaw bone loss is permanent, and other alternatives are needed. Bone grafting is one way to provide bone back in your jaw. The procedure involves taking bone from another part of your jaw and inserting it into the loss area.
You might see pus around your tooth, and you'll notice your gums pulling away from contact with the tooth. Your gums might swell, and that swelling could extend to your face and neck, too. At this point, your tooth will likely have to be removed.
It's never too late for gum grafting as long as the patient has sufficient gum tissue to harvest for the graft. However, the success rate of the procedure may be lower in cases where the patient has advanced gum disease or other underlying health issues that can affect the healing process.
Thanks to modern dental medicine, we know that a shrinking jawbone is not an inevitable part of the aging process. If you have lost a tooth or teeth, or if you have suffered an abscess or serious gum disease, you might be at risk for bone loss.
Monitoring with Anesthesia: Even a local anesthetic can affect your blood pressure. Since a numbing agent is often necessary during dental work, your dentist will monitor for fluctuations. Epinephrine in particular is known to constrict blood vessels, which can cause pressure to rise.
The pulp chamber is the internal portion of the teeth where the nerve is found. Ninety patients were evaluated and those taking statin drugs were found to have significantly decreased pulp sizes due to calcifications.
Thickening of the Gums
This can lead to gingivitis that can lead to the destruction of supporting tooth structure, causing teeth to loosen and, possibly, fall out. To clarify, blood pressure medications may cause changes in size and shape of gums, but the real culprit is plaque.