Did you know the average mouth has 20 billion bacterias, that reproduce every five hours? For many people, keeping them from causing problems is an easy hygiene task. But if you have misaligned teeth, do you actually know how much living space you are giving them?
Straightening your teeth not only combats bacteria but has a number of other advantages. Read on as we discuss the benefits of straight teeth.
1. Better Digestion
One of the health benefits of straight teeth is that once aligned, your teeth can chew better. Chewing is the first step in the key to good digestion. If you chew properly, food breaks down into smaller pieces, and enzymes can begin breaking them down easier before they enter the stomach.
If you don’t chew properly, then your stomach and intestines must do twice as much work. This is what causes stomach cramps and indigestion. You may also get heartburn or acid reflux from this.
In addition, you get less nutrition from food. As it is not breaking down as easily, much of it leaves the body before the goodness has been extracted.
2. Teeth Last Longer
When you have perfectly straight teeth, they can deal with the pressure of chewing. The impact from your jaws and the grinding of your teeth do wear them down, but in a slower, much more controlled fashion. The same can not be said of misaligned teeth.
Stress goes to the wrong areas, wearing them down much quicker. Over time, this can cause discoloration, decay, chipping, flattening, and notches on the gumline. You may also find fractures become more frequent.
This looks unsightly. However, the main danger is that it weakens the teeth and ages them prematurely.
3. Easier Cleaning
When teeth are crowded, it makes them much harder to clean. The gaps between them are much smaller and often at odd angles. When food is chewed, it can get into these areas and be hard to remove.
Brushing regularly can help, but even if you angle the brush in different ways you will still fail to miss food. You can also try flossing, but that also often fails to get into the small gaps and can be hard to remove. Mouthwash won’t remove the food, but it can help to kill the harmful bacteria that will grow there.
Straight teeth benefits are that all methods of cleaning will be much more effective. You will be able to reach all the places in your oral cavity food may accumulate and keep your mouth perfect.
4. Reduce Jaw Problems
Misaligned teeth will not just cause problems in the mouth itself. You may find that the part where the hinge of your jaw meets your skull suffers as well.
This is due to the excess strain caused by chewing and in some cases, talking. The muscles and tendons have extra strain and work twice as hard. Thus, they can become worn out and fatigued.
In a person, this can manifest as headaches, dizziness, and ringing in the ears. If these sound familiar to you, consider speaking with a dentist about realigning your teeth.
5. Clearer Speech
Many people do not realize that teeth play a large part in their speech. If you have teeth that are crowded, sticking out, or have a gap, they can inhibit the movement of your tongue and lips. They can also change the sound as it leaves the mouth cavity.
If you have speech problems, such as a lisp or the inability to pronounce certain syllables and phonetics, then speak with a dentist. They may suggest a retainer, which may inhibit a little of your speech at first, but will help you attain perfect diction in the long run.
6. Less Unexpected Accidents
When teeth are not straight, they can cause a number of unexpected problems. Firstly, they are generally weaker due to excessive strain and lack of cleanliness. This means they are more liable to crack, chip, or break at any point.
In addition, teeth that protrude are much more likely to be damaged if you have an accident. As they do not have the protection of the mouth and gums, when you fall or make an impact, they may take a knock. They are misaligned, you may also be more likely to bite your tongue or cheeks accidentally.
7. Increased Confidence
Bad teeth can be a huge burden on many people’s confidence. If you are in this situation, you may avoid talking to people, smiling, and even eating in public.
Having straight teeth can bring this confidence back. You will soon find that you love smiling, and showing everyone how happy you are. Realign them, then combine them with whitening procedures to get the perfect Hollywood smile.
8. Protecting Your Overall Health
If bacteria builds in your mouth due to misaligned teeth, it can cause numerous other health problems. Infections in the mouth can easily travel to other areas, as bacteria have a straight path down the gullet into the body. This can endanger your overall health.
Bacteria in the gums can travel through blood systems as well. This can increase heart disease, damage arteries, and increase the risk of a stroke. In less serious terms, you may find frequent throat and mouth injections arising as a result of bacterial build-up.
9. Prevents Bad Breath
All this build-up of food waste and bacteria results in gum disease. Gum disease is always followed by bad breath. The bacteria festers, as does the leftover food and soon your mouth had a terrible odor.
Perfectly straight teeth are easier to clean. Thus, bacteria do not have time to fester and you are left with a fresh, clean mouth.
Benefits of Straight Teeth
Now you know the benefits of straight teeth, it is time to address the problem. Speak to a local orthodontist and schedule an appointment. They will be able to advise you on the best course of treatment.
Your first stop should be Wardlaw Orthodontics. We serve the Little Rock area and have a track record for excellence. Contact us today, and let us put the smile back on your face!