Health Issues with Crooked Teeth
The biggest reason people get braces for teeth is to help straighten their teeth and to close the excess gaps in-between the teeth. Although braces can do a fantastic job at straightening up those problem teeth and give the confidence of a great smile but braces have other benefits too. Having straight teeth isn’t just to show off that beautiful smile; it can also benefit a person’s overall oral health. We will look at some of the health issues that having misaligned teeth can cause to see how braces can help improve someone’s health.
When teeth are crooked and overlapping it makes cleaning them properly very difficult. We all know that we must brush at least twice and floss at least once to help promote health teeth and gums. The reason for so much maintenance is to keep all the bacteria and plaque off our teeth. But if teeth are crooked they are hiding part of their surface so that the tooth brush cannot reach it. This increases the risk of getting gingivitis, tooth decay or cavities. Inevitably these teeth will have to be removed.
Another issue with misaligned teeth is that it doesn’t allow the jaw to chew properly. This doesn’t sound so bad but when our jaws cannot chew the food properly we put unnecessary strain on our jaw’s muscles and teeth. This increases the risk of breaking or chipping a tooth along with wearing out our jaw. Also, food that has been improperly chewed can lead to digestive issues.
These health issues can be prevented when a person with crooked or misaligned teeth have corrective orthodontics such as braces. In some extreme cases a patient may have to undergo surgery to effectively correct the alignment of the teeth or jaw. If you are concerned about your oral health ask your dentist to recommend a consultation visit with an orthodontist. This will determine if you are at risk of any oral health issues and if you are a good candidate for braces.
Having straight teeth isn’t just about having a beautiful smile, it’s also about our long term oral health.
