Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to weaken and lose density, putting you at risk for fractures and broken bones. While commonly thought of as a disease that most commonly affects older women, it affects men, too. It is also tied to your oral health. How does osteoporosis impact your smile? Your teeth are supported by bone, including the jaw bone that you use to chew. Bone loss in the jaw, whether caused by prolonged gum disease, tooth loss or osteoporosis, is still detrimental to your health making a visit to the periodontist in Nashville, TN, an essential part of keeping bones healthy. The Nashville Periodontal Group offers treatments for gum disease as well as tooth restoration with dental implants to prevent further bone loss in the jaw.

Facts You Should Know About Osteoporosis, Bone Loss and Dental Health

1.       Research has linked osteoporosis of the jaw and an increased risk of tooth loss.

2.       Bone can be lost if gum disease is allowed to progress without treatment. The bacteria damage the supportive tissue and bone.

3.       Bone loss can make the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) worse.

4.       When you lose or extract a tooth, the jaw bone begins to deteriorate due to a lack of stimulation, once provided by your tooth root. The process continues indefinitely.

5.       Bone density testing is available to help you assess your risk of osteoporosis.

6.       Treatments for osteoporosis may include prescriptions, supplements, and/or lifestyle changes.

7.       Bone volume in the jaw can be restored with bone grafting, a dental surgery that transplants bone from your own body or from a bone bank to the affected site.

If you are concerned about osteoporosis or would like to talk to a periodontist in Nashville, TN, about your oral health, call our office today. The experienced doctors at The Nashville Periodontal Group can explain all of your options and help you find a treatment to restore and protect your bone health.