Tags – Reasons to Straighten Teeth
A lot of people will straighten their teeth to achieve a winning smile.
In fact, people with straight teeth are perceived to be better looking, more intelligent and more successful – sounds shallow, but it’s just the way it is!
Today, more and more people are undergoing some kind of dental treatment, be it braces, implant or Invisalign.
However, the benefits of having straight teeth go way beyond just looks.
What many people don’t realise, is that having straighter teeth comes with a whole range of health benefits too.
With that said, here are 5 unexpected reasons to straighten your teeth.
1. Fewer Cavities
A cavity is essentially a hole in your tooth and is the main cause of a toothache.
And they are caused when bacteria on your teeth combine with your saliva and form plaque.
Then, the plaque sticks on to your teeth, and the acid within it can dissolve your enamel and creare holes.
Yes, plaque can be brushed away when the bristles of your toothbrush make contact with it. Hence why it’s so important to brush your teeth daily, if not twice a day.
But, if you have crooked teeth, it’s likely there’s going to be some surfaces that are harder to brush – especially if you have crowded teeth where one is overlapping the other.
For this reasoning, having straighter teeth means when you’re brushing your teeth, you’ll be able to reduce any plaque build-up and therefore cavities.
2. Healthy Gums
In the same way that brushing your teeth properly will help to prevent cavities, flossing is essential if you want to keep your gums healthy.
To put it simply, flossing helps to take away any bacteria that gets stuck in between your teeth and under your gum line.
However, with teeth that are not straight, this will have an impact on how effective flossing is, like brushing, in that it can sometimes make the gum line harder to reach.
As a result, people with straight teeth have healthier gums and are less likely to develop gum disease, which also means they are at lower risk of tooth loss and bad breath as well.
3. Prevent Jaw Pain
People who don’t have straight teeth often alter their jaws in order to correct movements while they eat or speak.
But by doing this, it places extra pressure on the gums, jaw and supporting bone.
And over time, this can lead to headaches, ear and neck pain, as well as other issues.
Therefore, when you straighten your teeth it helps for your jaw to be in the correct alignment; muscles are relaxed and can function properly.
In the long run, straightening your teeth will prevent jaw pain, and you’ll be much more comfortable when you eat, speak and smile!
4. Reduce Headaches
People with crooked teeth are more likely to grind their teeth, which is the biggest cause of persistent headaches.
So if you’re waking up with headaches often, it’s probably because you’re grinding your teeth during the night.
Yes, this can be managed with a mouthguard to wear to bed.
However, straightening your teeth can be the solution. When your jaw is resting, your teeth should be perfectly aligned.
With crooked teeth, people usually move their teeth together to find the most “natural” resting position.
As a result, the muscles near your head at the top of your jaw become tender and saw, thus leading to headaches.
And so, straight teeth help to give you a better aligned bite, greatly reducing the risk of grinding your teeth and with that, headaches.
5. End Speech Impediments
Although speech impediments are not a common problem, things like lisping or being unable to pronounce particular words can be caused by having crooked teeth.
Simply, speech impediments usually form when misaligned teeth prevent the tongue from getting in the right position to create certain sounds.
On the other hand, people who have large gaps in between their teeth will sometimes mispronounce words or sounds as air unintentionally passes through.
Rounding Up
Around 40% of the UK population admit to being unhappy with the way their teeth look.
And your teeth should never stop you from smiling or feeling good about yourself.
So straightening your teeth will not only help you to feel more confident, the reasons listed above will benefit your general health too!
For more information, please get in touch today.
In the meantime, take a look at our Invisalign treatment here.
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