The Amazing Health Benefits of Braces
You Need to Know About
Each year, millions of people across the United States make the decision to get their teeth straightened. From teenagers to adults, individuals of all ages can really benefit from teeth straightening treatment. While the primary purpose of braces is to align teeth and form a healthy, glowing smile, there are a magnitude of health benefits they bring that you may not be aware of.
If you’re thinking about getting your teeth straightened, not only should you learn about your options, treatment length and overall cost, knowing the health benefits should be on the agenda too. Here we will explore what braces can do for you, and how they can boost your overall wellbeing going forward.
Prevent Gum Disease
Gum disease can have disastrous consequences if you aren’t taking good care of your teeth and gums. While gum disease is incredibly common and affects half of the population in some way or another, wearing braces can prevent the disease from starting in its tracks. In a nutshell, gum disease is an infection of the soft tissues that surround your teeth. It can be categorized into two sections – gingivitis and periodontal disease. While there are good habits you can practice for preventing gum disease such as quitting smoking or following a healthy diet, braces may be the only option for correcting your teeth and preventing gum disease altogether.
For those who have misaligned or crooked teeth, this makes it easier for food particles and plaque to become trapped between your teeth. Over time, bacteria can multiply and start to infect the gums. If you choose braces, they will even your teeth which makes it easier to clean them. When your teeth align, it will be harder for food to get stuck between your teeth.
Stop Tooth Decay
Like with gum disease, getting your teeth straightened can significantly lower your risk of developing tooth decay. If your teeth are more pronounced or overlap, they’re more likely to experience uneven wear and tear. When you’re biting or chewing, they won’t take an equal part in the process, and you’ll find they’re harder to keep clean and in good health.
If you struggle to remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth, bacteria can fester and multiply quickly. This can eat at your tooth’s enamel surface, resulting in decay. If you decide to get braces, they can prevent tooth decay by aligning your teeth. You can find out more here about dental braces from ALIGNERCO. They have a guide on what to expect before getting braces, as well as other benefits you can gain from wearing them.
Improved Speech
You may not be aware that misaligned teeth can have an impact on the way you speak. If you’re a business owner who conducts regular talks, if you find your employees are struggling to follow and stay engaged, this could actually be down to your teeth. Your teeth play a vital role in helping you pronounce words properly. Therefore, if they’re crooked or misaligned, this can negatively impact your speaking patterns.
One of the great things about braces is they can adjust the positioning of your teeth. Over time, this should improve your speech and help you speak more clearly. What’s more, dental braces can realign your jaw, which gives your tongue more room to move around. When this happens, there will be less chance of slurring your words. Once you undergo braces treatment and come out the other side, you’ll find it much easier to hold a business meeting and keep everyone in the know.
Aid Digestion
While you may think dental braces are only beneficial for aligning your teeth and preventing gum disease, your digestion can improve as a result. The reason for this is simple. If you have misaligned teeth, this can have a serious effect on how you eat and digest your food. Whether you’ve got a bite issue or crooked teeth, you may have trouble biting and chewing. If you cannot chew your food properly, large chunks of food will make their way to your stomach where they cannot be correctly digested.
Problems with digestion can cause an irritable bowel, intestinal distress, as well as difficulty feeling sated once you’ve eaten. If you choose to get braces, not only will your smile become aligned, but all parts of your teeth will alsobe able to chew and close correctly. This will lower how regularly improperly chewed food enters your stomach.
Help With Self-Esteem
There’s no denying that having straight teeth can massively improve your confidence and self-esteem. If you’re not happy with how your teeth look, you’re unlikely to smile and want to show them off. Sadly, this can impact you in all sorts of ways. Whether you’re meeting someone new for the first time at work or heading on a first date, if you only smile with your lips, this can signal to the other person that you’re shy and not confident in yourself.
When you get braces and maneuver through treatment, you should have a smile on your face when you start to see your teeth aligning properly. Once treatment is over and you get your braces taken off, you’ll have a hard time closing your mouth! First impressions count in all aspects of life, so being able to smile and feel confident from within can help you in your professional and personal endeavors.
Prevent Bone Erosion
Like how your teeth and gums can be affected because of misalignment, bone loss is another problem that you need to know about. Bone loss occurs when bacteria begins to eat away at the bone. Should you get braces, bone erosion isn’t likely to happen. This is because dental braces help realign your teeth to stop this from happening in the first place.
Braces shift periodontal ligaments by stretching the nerves and connective tissues. Over time, the bones will rebuild naturally once they settle into their new position. Braces help in preventing erosion by making sure every area of the jawbone is exercised properly. This also means there are no pockets in your mouth for bacteria and plaque to hide.
Greater Comfort
Finally, wearing dental braces can significantly improve your overall comfort and wellbeing. If you have misalignment, you’re more likely to bite your tongue, inside of your cheeks and gums. This is because your jaw will not sit together correctly. Your teeth are more likely to cause pain because they’re pulling on the gum tissue and causing increased strain in your mouth and jaw
When you begin braces treatment, your teeth will move into a more comfortable and natural position. This will lessen the risk of biting the interior of your mouth accidentally, as well as reducing strain on your jaw and the temporomandibular joints (TMJ).
Whether you opt for traditional braces or invisible aligners are more to your liking, getting your teeth straightened can not only be beneficial in an aesthetic sense, but boost your oral health, confidence, and keep your mind and body in check.
Make sure you pick a reliable dentist to carry out braces treatment. Once you start your journey, you will soon reap all the benefits above and find it much easier to look after your teeth and gums once your braces are off.