The most important negative impact of increased mobility and tooth movement is observed in the process of chewing food. It is proven that Periodontal Disease, with its tooth movements and reduced support that causes, has a negative impact on the chewing process, due to the fact that patients no longer feel comfortable when chewing, they have reduced chewing ability and often feel pain and intolerance. One of the purposes of the existence of teeth and the stomatognathic system is to chew food. A person in infancy and until the presence of his new teeth is fed with watery and mashed foods. The same happens in old age, when permanent dentition is lost. Even older people who wear complete dentures cannot chew satisfactorily and are trained by their dentists to eat in some special ways.
On the contrary, people who have their teeth up to old age enjoy the ability to chew. Chewing as a function is very important. It aims at grinding various soft and hard foods, which helps in the process of digestion, resulting in the daily intake of the necessary nutrients to maintain life. In addition, each person can rejoice and taste the different dishes and so many different flavors and enjoy the feeling of satiety and euphoria in their life. The loss of chewing deprives him of these possibilities, resulting in weight loss, malnutrition (and all the problems that can be caused by the lack of essential nutrients that one must take daily), as well as affects his psychology negatively.
In a recent study, published in one of the most prestigious journals published by the American Academy of Periodontology, it was ascertained that the loss of periodontal tissues due to Periodontal Disease resulted in reduced chewing ability as well as had a negative impact on patients’ quality of life, unlike healthy individuals.
When the concept of quality of life is mentioned, we refer to the ability of each person to enjoy every moment of their life and to meet their needs effectively, leading to complete physical, mental and social well-being. Of course, the concept of quality of life differs from person to person, but some needs, like the one for feeding, are common to the largest part of the population and for this reason, people are constantly trying to meet them.
It was analyzed above how Periodontal Disease can negatively affect the patients’ lives, through a daily function such as chewing. In addition, it was mentioned that advanced disease leads to tooth loss. It is important to point out that teeth, apart from their functional purpose, also contribute to the aesthetic presence of each individual. A complete and healthy dentition supports and completes the face and gives each person his own uniqueness and special beauty. Also, a nice smile must necessarily be accompanied by a healthy and aesthetically acceptable dentition. The lack and movement of teeth, especially the front ones, often causes people to feel ashamed. This discourages them from socializing with those around them, forcing them to isolate themselves and be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and depression. In addition, they consciously avoid smiling or try to hide their smile in various ways, so that the people around them do not notice the lack of their teeth.
