Teeth can make or break your life. Thirty-eight percent of young adults feel their life is unsatisfactory because of their teeth. They believe the quality of their teeth affects their ability to interview for jobs and attract partners.
One major factor toward this lack of confidence is crooked teeth. They don’t look good and they don’t function nearly as well as straight teeth.
If you are worried about having healthy teeth, you should get your teeth straightened. But don’t call your dentist just yet. You need to know how straight teeth can impact your physical and psychological health.
Get the facts right here. Here are seven benefits of straight teeth.
Increased Self-Confidence
Smiling is a critical part of self-confidence. The physical act of smiling can cause your brain to release endorphins, which are pleasurable chemicals. It can encourage people to talk with you and it makes you seem more intelligent while you are speaking.
But many people refuse to smile because their teeth are crooked. Straight teeth will encourage you to smile more and gain self-confidence.
Straight teeth can also help you seem more professional. Supervisors and clients see that you attend to the little things, which makes them want to work with you.
Improved Digestion
The primary purpose of teeth is to help with digestion. Incisors can chop down plant matter, while molars can tear meat and hard foods apart. All teeth have saliva on them, which helps break down carbohydrates.
Crooked teeth do not chop foods evenly. This makes it hard for the body to process and break them down with stomach acid.
Straight teeth create precise cuts in your food. They spread an even amount of saliva over its surface, allowing carbohydrates to dissolve.
Decreased Jaw and Neck Strain
When teeth grind back and forth against each other, they can pull muscles in the jaw. It becomes hard to eat, talk, and emote with your face.
The strain can progress into the neck, which supports the jaw. It can become hard to put weight on your neck. On rare occasions, the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) can pop out, causing extreme pain.
Grinding can cause teeth to become crooked. But crooked teeth can induce grinding. Your jaw tries to shift in place to correct teeth, only to overcorrect and scrape the teeth together.
Straight teeth do not prompt your jaw to do this. When you do grind, straight teeth do not cause as much friction as crooked teeth. This diminishes muscle strain and side effects.
Clearer Speech
Teeth also play an essential role in speech. They control airflow into and out of the mouth. Certain words require the tongue to touch teeth or teeth to touch each other.
Crooked teeth impair airflow, making certain words hard to understand. They can crowd together, giving less room for the tongue to move around and form words.
Straight teeth provide steady amounts of air to all parts of the mouth. They give room for the tongue to touch teeth and make noises.
Some people avoid speaking so they don’t have to reveal their crooked teeth. Without that obstacle, individuals can speak freely.
If you are concerned about your child’s speech, you can reinforce their teeth. Braces for kids are a great solution. They will keep teeth in place while allowing a child to talk and breathe.
Decreased Gum Disease
Gums are essential soft tissue. In addition to supporting the teeth, they help resist bacterial infections and provide structure to the jaw and neck.
Crooked teeth can cause gums to become uneven and bruised. Some crooked teeth can cut into the surface of the gums, opening them to infection.
Gums can support straight teeth without difficulty. In turn, straight teeth support gums by making them easy to clean and examine. You can notice signs of gum disease as they occur and you can respond to them right away.
Fewer Bacterial Infections
The teeth and gums are the body’s first lines of defense against bacteria. They keep germs from entering into the mouth and circulating in the bloodstream.
But bacteria can build up inside the mouth. It can penetrate into the gums, causing a disease that can damage the teeth. On rare occasions, built-up bacteria can enter the blood and create an infection.
Crooked teeth are harder to clean, even with dental tools. This makes it easier for bacteria to build up and enter the body. Straighter teeth are easier to scrub, reducing the risk of infection.
Easier Sleep
Crooked teeth can ruin your sleep schedule in several ways. Many people grind their teeth in their sleep, causing them to stay up. They roll around as their jaw moves, which can cause them to bite their tongue.
By stymying airflow into the mouth, crooked teeth can induce sleep apnea. Apnea can cause lung and heart damage as air fails to circulate through the body.
Straight teeth will not grind or block air. You can sleep on your back, sides, or stomach without issue.
The Benefits of Straight Teeth
Straight teeth can provide a perfect smile that bolsters your self-confidence. But they can also have substantial health benefits.
They can improve your digestion by breaking foods down. They can decrease jaw and muscle strain while making speech easier to understand.
Straight teeth are easier to keep in place and clean, decreasing gum and bacterial infections. They can help with sleep by providing a steady supply of air without grinding together.
Help yourself to the facts, and you can improve your health. Follow our coverage for more health and fitness guides.
