We can all remember the experience of losing our teeth as children. It's easy to recall the excitement and initial shock of that first wiggly tooth, the hours or days of waiting for it to fall out, and the thrill of waking up to a note or gift from the tooth fairy. But while losing teeth is a childhood rite of passage, it can also happen in adulthood. Adult tooth loss, also known as edentulism, is an oral health condition that affects many people. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 27.27% of seniors, 65 years or older, have lost all teeth. While this can at first be an overwhelming statistic, know that it is preventable. Let's go over the prevention methods, risk factors, and signs of edentulism.
