When it comes to a first impression, the first thing people notice about a person is their eyes, immediately followed by their teeth. With that said, you can’t necessarily control how your eyes look, but you can control how you teeth do! Flashing a bright, straight smile is aesthetically pleasing to look at, but there are advantages beyond cosmetic reasons. Having straight teeth also benefits your oral and mental health as well. We at Align Orthodontics have educated and helped hundreds of patients understand the importance of straight teeth and compiled a list of amazing benefits a straight smile can do for you; Keep reading!
1. Easier to Clean
Unlike overlapped or crooked teeth, brushing and flossing is a lot easier to perform on a straight set of teeth. Poorly aligned teeth are more likely to trap food particles, causing plaque buildup, progressing to tartar within a span of 24 hours and/or eventually contributing to cavities. Crooked teeth poses a challenge for the bristles of a toothbrush to be able to fully get in-between teeth and reach the buildup. Straight teeth allow easier access to get in-between crevices and, in the end, less work to maintain clean teeth.
2. Lowers Risks of Disease
Straighter teeth are easier to keep clean, which also helps prevent gum disease and oral bacteria of the gums from entering the bloodstream and creating other problems such as heart disease or diabetes. If left untreated, tooth decay and gum disease may cause oral infections. It is no question healthy teeth and gums play a huge role in preventing worse problems affecting your overall health.
3. Avoid Losing Teeth
According to the American College of Prosthodontics, over 36 million people in the US don’t have teeth at all, with over 120 million missing at least one permanent tooth. These staggering numbers are only expected to increase over the next 20 years. The most common causes for tooth loss is due to periodontal disease and tooth decay. Having a straight smile with easier access for toothbrushes and floss will go a long way to help keep all of your precious teeth intact!
4. Maintain a Healthy Jawbone
Missing any adult teeth will leave the gaping area with limited activity for the jawbone, causing it to grow weak which may contribute to more tooth loss. If you currently have any permanent teeth missing, it would be wise to consult with your dentist to determine if a dental implant may be a good solution for you.
5. Decrease Chances of Having Digestive Issues
Although many people may assume the stomach is the beginning of the digestion process as it moves food through the rest of the digestive tract, your teeth and saliva actually begin the breakdown of nutrients. Properly chewed food helps ensure normal breakdown and digestion of the food you consume. However, having poorly aligned teeth can also negatively impact digestion by making the chewing more challenging, causing reduced nutritional intake and interfere with proper food digestion. Even if your food choices are healthy, poorly chewed food will cause you to lose out on absorbing the precious nutrients. Aligned teeth help support ease of chewing and proper digestion.
6. Deal with Less Headaches
Crooked teeth will cause chronic pressure due to uneven pressure distribution on your jaw and affects your bite. Temporomandibular joints (TJMs) are connected to your jaw and skull bone. Your teeth require proper alignment in order for your bite to work correctly and helps your TJMs to move smoothly. When your TJMs and jaw muscles are in distress, it may lead to chronic headaches, migraines, trouble chewing, and more. Properly aligned teeth will prevent uneven pressure distribution on your jaw and helps improve your bite to prevent those annoying headaches.
7. Less Chips, Breaks, or Cracks in Teeth
Protruding teeth are more likely to crack or break in the event of a fall or accident. Poor dental hygiene, as a result of difficulty cleaning crowded teeth, can also weaken your teeth, making it more susceptible to chips or breakage. Straight teeth offers a nice, even protection without any teeth sticking out to be vulnerable to chips, breakage, or cracks.
A first impression can be important, but not nearly as important as the benefits you gain from a nice smile with the help of your beautiful straight teeth. Not only are your healthy teeth great to look at, they greatly influence your overall health. Healthy straight teeth are vital to supporting proper digestion, a strong jaw bone, preventing oral bacteria from affecting your blood vessels affecting important organs such as your heart and brain, and keeping your teeth from falling out. If you are interested in obtaining straight teeth and the smile you deserve, don’t put it off any longer. Contact Align Orthodontics today to get started on your journey to a healthier, brighter you!
