Best dental clinic in Madipakkam The Risks That Come from a Missing Tooth The longer you wait to replace a missing tooth, the greater your risk for getting gum disease. And gum disease is the culprit that can lead to many other serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes . How can a missing tooth promote gum disease? Because the open pocket, which was once home to your existing tooth, now becomes an accessible gateway for bacteria to enter your gums. And these bacteria will eventually lead to gum disease – the inflammation of your gums – which will promote other teeth to loosen , tooth loss, and more bone loss.