If you have a smile that is crooked or awkwardly spaced, it may make you feel insecure and less confident to show the world that you are happy or laughing. Just the act of smiling can actually stimulate nerves that can affect your emotions to make you feel better. These are the reasons the way you feel about your smile’s appearance is important. However, the health of your smile may be even more important. Straightening crooked teeth can improve your oral health by decreasing your risks for tooth decay, tooth damage, TMJ disorder, and gum disease. Gum disease has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, among other serious health problems.
Keeping Your Gums Healthy
When teeth are too widely spaced, if they are crowded or overlapping, they can be hard to keep clean by brushing and flossing. Harmful bacteria can have an easier time building up along the gum tissue, which can increase your risks of gum disease. Misaligned teeth can often be joined by puffy, red gums. Straightening your smile can help the gums to fit more securely around the teeth, which can create a stronger defense against gum disease.
Reducing Risks For Teeth
A buildup of harmful bacteria that can lead to gum disease can also lead to plaque and decay of your teeth. Food and drink remains can be more easily brushed and flossed away lowering the risk of tooth decay when the teeth are straight. Protruding or overlapping teeth are more likely to be damaged or even knocked out or damaged in accidents. Even using sports-related mouth guards may not help if the mouth guard has not been custom designed to accommodate any crookedness.
Putting Less Strain On Your Jaw
Misalignment can lead to excessive strain on your jaw, which can lead to a disorder of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), the joints that allow your jaw to move. Straightening your teeth can help ease this strain.
A straighter smile is often a healthier one
Straightening your smile has benefits that go beyond the appearance. To schedule a consultation, call Grinnell Street Dental at (307) 672-7567. Located in Sheridan, WY, we also proudly serve the residents of Gillette, Billings, Miles City, and all surrounding communities.
