In a world obsessed with physical appearances, your smile counts big time. Taking care of it, is just as important as staying well nourished and keeping fit. However, straight teeth are more than meets the eye, quite literally. They don’t only impact what you see on the outside but also how you feel on the inside.
If you’re looking for some extra motivation to get your teeth straightened, keep reading!
Straight teeth are easier to clean
Straight teeth are healthy teeth.
When your teeth are misaligned, it’s harder to get rid of the food debris stuck between them. This is because your brush or floss can’t reach into the nooks and crannies, causing food to get lodged between the teeth for longer periods of time.
If not cleaned properly, bacteria grows in these nooks and crannies causing decay and cavities.
Aligned teeth provide a very strong barrier against decay-causing bacteria.
Since they don’t have gaps between them it’s harder for bacteria to grow and spread. Straightening your teeth makes them easier to clean but as with with any other orthodontic treatment, your dental hygiene will improve.
Dramatically.
Invisible braces wearers find themselves habitually brushing and flossing their teeth more frequently than they did before.
Straight teeth keep your gums healthy
Straight teeth help prevent gum disease.
That’s because they enable the gums to fit better around the teeth. Periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, is caused by bacteria being collected along the gumline and between the teeth. Toxic substances that cause irritation are released when this bacteria multiplies, causing your gums to recede and more of your tooth surface to be exposed to decay-causing bacteria.
In extreme cases, the bacteria can reach the root of the teeth and cause infections which leads to tooth loss.
Straight teeth make it easier to get rid of the bacteria stuck in the gum lines and reduce the risk of gum disease and tooth loss.
Straight teeth improve your bite
Straight teeth help improve your bite. Your bite is how your upper and lower teeth fit together. A healthy bite is when your teeth and jaws line up the right way. You have a healthy bite when your upper teeth fit slightly over your lower teeth and your molars fit the grooves of the opposite molars, keeping your face muscles relaxed.
Aligning your teeth can help fix common bite issues, like crossbites, underbites, crowding etc.
Untreated bite problems can get worse over time, if ignored. It can cause teeth loss, sore ligaments, receding gum lines, painful jaw clicking and also lead to headaches and neck pain.
A healthy bite is important for more than just aesthetic reasons.
- It ensures overall orthodontic health and wellbeing
- prevents unnecessary strain on your jaws, teeth and facial muscles
- improves speech, your smile, the way you breathe
- prevents teeth grinding.
Straight teeth boost your self-esteem
Straight teeth look good.
They impact your overall appearance and can affect how you are perceived by the world.
Yes, your smile is important.
Insecurities surrounding your smile sometimes stop you from achieving your full potential and living your best life. It might be as minor as a small but noticeable tooth that protrudes out slightly. But that’s all it takes to make you feel self-conscious in photos at certain angles.
The good news is, you’re not alone.
And you’re definitely not on an ego trip.
Just like all of us have had to work on our insecurities, and take action to change something that holds us back, deciding to straighten your teeth is the first step in the right direction.
Confidence doesn’t come in a day, it’s a constant journey. Some days are better than others when you wake up and just feel confident, some are harder when you need to do the work and remind yourself to keep going. When you let your insecurities become larger than yourself and allow them to consume you, you are giving them the power to hold you back.
Change the way you talk to yourself, focus on the actionable points, and seek help.
