If you’re embarrassed by your crooked smile, you might be thinking about getting an orthodontic treatment to straighten them out. We wholeheartedly encourage you to do so, and not just because we want you to feel great about what you see in the mirror. Straight teeth not only look gorgeous, but they also come with some significant benefits for your oral and overall well-being. Your dentist in Harrisonburg is here to list just a few ways in which straight teeth can make you healthier from head to toe.
Straight Teeth Prevent Jaw Problems
When you bite down, your teeth should fit comfortably together. Crooked teeth can mess with your bite, thereby placing extra stress on your jaw. This can result in a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which causes headaches, jaw pain, and a range of other uncomfortable symptoms.
Straight Teeth Are Less Vulnerable to Damage
When you’re munching on a crunchy snack or engaging in your favorite sport, you shouldn’t have to worry that your teeth will become cracked or chipped. Anyone with straight teeth who takes reasonable precautions (such as wearing a mouth guard during sports games) should be able to keep their smile intact with little fuss.
Crooked teeth are a different story. Because they don’t fit together well, they’re more likely to hit each other at odd angles. The result may be that they easily break or crack.
Straight Teeth Are Easier to Clean
For people with straight teeth, a simple and thorough oral hygiene routine is usually enough to prevent severe dental problems. If your chompers are misaligned, however, it can be much more difficult to clean them. In fact, it might be next to impossible for you to wrangle your floss into some of the super-tight spaces in your mouth. As a result, you may suffer from tooth decay and bad breath.
Straight Teeth Help to Prevent Gum Disease
Millions of people, including those with perfectly straight teeth, suffer from gum disease. This problem is often easy to stop with a few adjustments to oral hygiene habits. But things are more complicated with crooked teeth. That’s because the gums may not fit around them as securely as they should, making it much easier for bacteria to sneak beneath the gum line.
If gum disease goes untreated for long enough, it can have severe consequences for your oral health. It may lead to such problems as heart disease, stroke, dementia, preterm birth, and more.
Straighter Teeth Are Within Your Reach!
If your teeth are misaligned, now is the perfect time to correct the problem and achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve. We offer Invisalign in Harrisonburg, which uses clear thermoplastic aligners to gently reposition teeth. It usually takes less time than traditional braces, and since the aligners are removable, you won’t have to bother with a long list of dietary restrictions. It’s a truly remarkable treatment!
Straight teeth are straight-up good for you. We hope you take this information to heart and embark on a journey to obtaining a smile full of properly aligned pearly whites.
About the Dentist
Dr. Mario DeNicola, one of the three talented tooth doctors in our practice, is a preferred Invisalign provider. As a cosmetic dentist in Harrisonburg, he truly enjoys helping his patients take advantage of the aesthetic and health benefits of a straight smile. If you would like to talk to him about moving your teeth into their proper places, please contact our office at 540-432-6616.