False teeth need care, too

Home dental health care can't stop when people lose all their natural teeth. About 30 million Americans are in that predicament, and they're often overlooked in messages about keeping a healthy mouth.

The No. 1 culprit for adult tooth loss is not decay but gum disease -- "periodontal" disease. It's a damaging inflammation of those tough pink tissues that hold teeth firmly in the jaw.

Gum disease occurs when dental plaque accumulates at the base of teeth, under the gums. That sticky film of food debris and other goop breeds bacteria, which release materials that irritate and inflame the gums.

Plaque must be removed or the disease gets worse. Pus-filled pockets form in the gums, gums detach from the teeth, and it may be goodbye to those pearly whites.

Prevention means more than brushing, because plaque builds up under the gums, where the brush can't reach. Removing it takes daily flossing and regular cleaning in the dentist's office.

Anyone who needs motivation can consider the plight of those who've lost 'em.

Denture technology has improved. Modern dental implants, for instance, are anchored right in the jaw bone and stay in the mouth almost as securely as natural teeth.

Most people, however, use conventional full dentures. And modern dentures are light years better than those available in the past.

Dentures once were made from bone and ivory from elephants or hippopotamuses. Top-of-the-line dentures had actual human teeth, often pulled from corpses.

Those were disappearing dentures. As they collected plaque in the wearer's mouth, the bone or tooth material would decay, sometimes within months. The wearer was left with a horrible taste and stench in the mouth and a gap in the pocketbook.

Plastics used in modern dentures are much more permanent. They don't decay, but they do collect plaque that must be removed daily. Plaque can harm the gums even in people with no natural teeth.

Left on dentures, plaque will harden into a rock-like material called tartar. Plaque bacteria, and tartar deposits on the fitting surfaces of dentures, can irritate the gums and lead to sores, infections, and gum shrinkage that results in poorly fitting dentures.

Regular daily brushing also helps remove stains.

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