Well, correcting your misalignment could actually make your life much more comfortable. Many problems arise with crooked teeth so we’ve put a list together of signs you need braces.
1. Breathing through your mouth
Being a mouth breather could be the first sign of you needing braces.
Controlling your breathing is easier when awake! But when asleep, we do not realise if breathing is happening through our mouths. Misaligned teeth may cause your mouth to not close naturally and lead to oral health problems.
Having your teeth exposed to air throughout the night puts you at a higher risk of developing cavities. This is because bacteria aren’t being washed away naturally by the mouth but are multiplying instead. Here are some ways to check if you are indeed a mouth breather:
- Snoring
- Waking up to drool
- Tongue rests at the bottom of your mouth
- Blocked nose
- Agitated sleep
- Struggle to keep good posture (has a forward-leaning posture)
2. Jaw pain
Having crooked teeth can put excess pressure on your jaw muscles.
Some signs of a strained jaw besides pain are from clicking sounds made whenever you open your mouth. Adults are at risk of jaw pain when wisdom teeth start growing out. If the teeth are growing crooked in a forward direction, it can cause pressure on your jaw.
3. Your bottom and top teeth do not touch
One question you can ask yourself is if your teeth touch each other when your mouth is completely closed. If it does not, you could have protruding teeth (also known as buck teeth), underbite or open bite.
Your bite is not just an aesthetic issue but brings about consequences like poor dental health, speech difficulties and the ability to chew properly.
4. Prone to biting yourself
Occasionally biting your cheek or tongue by accident is totally normal. We all experienced this before when we tried speaking while eating or from pure clumsiness. But, if it happens to you quite frequently then it could be due to misalignment of your teeth.
If your top and bottom teeth don’t fit perfectly, it may lead to chewing difficulties causing you to bite your cheek often.
5. Halitosis (aka bad breath)
In simple terms – check if your breath smells!
If you constantly have bad breath even after brushing your teeth, there could be a build-up of plaque in your mouth. Difficulty flossing your teeth is a sign that your teeth are not aligned properly and are too tight to get cleaned properly.
6. Crooked teeth or gaps in your teeth
One of the obvious telling signs that you need braces is if you have a visibly crooked bite.
Take a moment to look in the mirror and examine your teeth. Check if there are gaps or if your teeth seem to be crowding together. Even if they seem straight but you notice that food often gets stuck in between, your teeth are definitely not aligned properly.
Let the experts advise you!
Do you know what would make your life easier? If a dental expert advises you on the need for braces and shares exactly what type of teeth problems you have. Our online smile assessment does exactly that in the comfort of your own home!
Zenyum provides professional orthodontic treatment with the help of our partner dentist. Enjoy visibly straighter teeth from 2-3 months* on average and skip unnecessary dental visits by tracking your progress on our proprietary app.
Learn more about the Zenyum process in this guide.
You can say goodbye to jaw pain, bad posture from mouth breathing, accidentally biting your cheek, etc. Begin your smile transformation today by taking our free smile assessment!
