Many of us dream about having a flawless smile. While some people are born with perfectly aligned teeth, others come in crooked and at different angles, which can not only alter your appearance but impact your confidence and self-esteem. If you don’t like the way your teeth look, braces may be the right way to go. And while braces are designed to straighten your teeth, you may not be aware of the other benefits they can bring. With that in mind, here are some of the powerful advantages of braces.
Better Bite
On a day-to-day basis, your teeth, gums, and mouth go through a lot. No matter what your diet is, if you have overcrowded, widely spaced, or crooked teeth, this can result in a misaligned bite, making it hard to eat. Over time, your teeth will wear out much quicker and you will be more at risk of losing your teeth later. What’s more, a misaligned bite puts immense pressure on your teeth and the muscles around your jaw, making you susceptible to headaches and jaw pain. Once you get braces and your teeth start to align, you should notice a huge improvement in your bite.
Lower Risk of Periodontitis
Although gum disease is an incredibly common condition that affects up to 90% of the population, severe gum disease like periodontitis can occur in the blink of an eye and is irreversible. Periodontitis puts you at risk of losing your teeth, which is why having braces can reduce the risk of your gum disease getting any worse. Periodontitis can also reduce your risk of developing other health conditions too, such as heart disease and pneumonia. If your gums continually bleed or you’ve noticed a strange taste and smell in your mouth, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your dentist.
Easier to Brush and Floss
When you achieve straighter teeth from braces, you will find it much easier to brush and floss your teeth and gums. As part of your oral hygiene routine, you must get into the habit of brushing twice daily and flossing. If you have misaligned teeth, plaque and bacteria can build in your mouth, resulting in infections, tooth decay, and even tooth loss. Even if you’re aware of it, it can be difficult to reach every area of your mouth with a toothbrush or flossing stick. Therefore, getting braces will not only realign your teeth but make it easier to keep on top of your oral hygiene.
Improved Digestive Health
Not only do misaligned teeth have a serious impact on how well you can eat, but crooked teeth can also disrupt how you digest your food. If you have trouble eating with an overbite or underbite, you won’t be able to bite and chew as well, which makes it difficult to break down food. If this happens to you, large chunks of food will make their way into your stomach, making it hard to digest correctly. If you suffer from irritable bowel or intestinal distress after a meal, your teeth could be to blame. When wearing a brace, you will not only get straighter teeth but improve your digestion system too.
Better Speech
When conversing with others, if they have great difficulty understanding you, your speech could be impacted due to teeth misalignment. If you have a speech impediment, you may be able to overcome it with orthodontic treatment. Wide spaces between teeth can cause lisping, while overbites can make it hard to close your lips. After wearing braces and getting straighter teeth, you may notice a huge improvement in your speech, which will boost your confidence levels.
Improved Mental Health
If you’re not satisfied with how your teeth look, you may be the type who tends to shy away from the world. A large chunk of the UK population is unhappy with their smile, which can have a knock-on effect on our mental health. If you suffer from anxiety and depression because of your smile, getting straighter teeth can help restore confidence and make you proud of your appearance.
Find the Right Treatment
Now you have a clearer idea of the advantages of braces, you must find a treatment that works well for you. There are many factors to take into account beforehand, such as how do braces work and how teeth braces can help you. Straight My Teeth has a guide on how do braces work, as well as the costs involved. Straight My Teeth are experts in helping patients improve their smiles with a range of treatments, including clear aligners, invisible aligners, and teeth whitening.
Whether you decide on traditional braces to straighten your teeth, or you would prefer clear braces that blend into your teeth, there are tons of benefits you can gain that can improve your emotional and physical wellbeing.