Straight teeth provide many health benefits, yet many individuals still ignore them because they think crooked teeth are just an aesthetic concern. True, a straight set of teeth might make you look more attractive, but they’ll also benefit your oral and overall health. Read on to find out how.
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You’ll Have Better Digestion
Straight teeth, whether they are naturally straight or have been straightened by orthodontic treatment, are advantageous for chewing. And the process of digestion starts with the chewing of food.
When you chew your food more, it helps your body break down the food faster. Also, poorly chewed food makes the stomach and intestines have to work harder. You end up getting less nutrition and having problems with your stomach. Even people who eat well but don’t chew their food well enough can get a bad gut.
You’ll Have Fewer Cavities
Crooked teeth are harder to keep clean, which can damage them in the long run. And that means that people with crooked teeth are more likely to get cavities than people with straight teeth.
That can mean you have to spend a lot more time at the dentist and pay a lot more money. Not to mention how painful and long it can be to get cavities filled. Over time, having straight teeth can save you money because you won’t get as many cavities and won’t have to worry about bills piling up when you can’t pay them.
You’ll Have Better Self-Esteem
You can’t feel confident in your appearance or smile when your teeth are crooked. This means it’s more challenging to connect with others when you’re self-conscious about your smile.
Straightening your teeth increases your chances of having a beautiful, healthy smile, both of which can boost your self-esteem. The apparent benefits include a rise in self-confidence, which helps the development of new connections and the strengthening of existing ones and can even benefit your career prospects.
You’ll Reduce Jaw Pain
A bad bite doesn’t just put pressure on your teeth; it also puts pressure on the joints in your jaw. The hinged joints that connect your jaw to your skull close to your ears are called temporomandibular joints. When your crooked or misaligned teeth put pressure on these joints and the muscles that support them, you may experience jaw pain, lightheadedness, earaches, ringing in your ears, and headaches. In fact, people who have jaw pain or headaches that don’t go away may find that fixing their crooked teeth really helps.
You’ll Have Clearer Speech
Even if you don’t know it, your teeth are a big part of how you talk. If your teeth are too close together, too far apart, or sticking out of your mouth, it can make it hard for you to speak clearly.
If you get orthodontic care, your speech could start to get better in about six months on average. If this is something you’re interested in, Invisalign is an aesthetic dental treatment you might want to speak to your dentist about.
