Orthodontic treatment is intended for so much more than just aesthetic improvements!
About 1/3 of all Americans say they’re unhappy with their smile, and crooked teeth have been known to affect the following within an individual:
- Confidence
- Dating life
- Professional success
- Overall happiness
Although crooked teeth can certainly pose a negative impact on a person’s psychological state, it’s important to understand that crooked teeth can also negatively affect your overall health. At JK Orthodontics, we understand how a lot of patients want to undergo orthodontic treatment for aesthetic purposes; however, we are always keeping the health benefits of orthodontic treatment in mind for each and every one of our patients.
Below are some of the oral health problems caused by crooked teeth that you should know about!
Halitosis
When your teeth are crowded or overlap, they’ll create very tight spaces that a toothbrush can’t properly reach. This then leads to bacteria buildup in these hard-to-reach areas, which subsequently causes bad breath when left in your mouth for long periods of time.
Halitosis is a medical term for persistent bad breath, and this actually impacts around 1 in every 4 people. Although poor oral hygiene is a leading cause for halitosis, there are also many instances in which people implement proper hygiene routines and still have bad breath.
This is a situation in which an individual’s crooked teeth could be the cause of the persistent bad breath.
Worsened Tooth Wearing
When teeth are crooked there can be excess friction amongst the teeth surfaces, and this increased friction and rubbing can contribute towards premature tooth wearing. When tooth wearing occurs at an accelerated rate, an individual can wear down the protective enamel on their teeth and suffer from cavities.
Countless schoolchildren have cavities and almost all adults have at least one cavity. Cavities are serious issues because they can lead to toothaches, infection and tooth loss.
Headaches & TMJ Syndrome
When your teeth rub together due to misalignment, this added friction can also lead to chronic headaches. These headaches tend to be rather severe and painful, and over time crooked teeth can also contribute to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) syndrome.
About 5-12% of the American population suffers from TMJ syndrome, and this persistent pain originates from increased pressure on the jaw. As you can imagine, misaligned/crooked teeth can be the root cause of the jaw pressure that contributes to TMJ syndrome.
Some of the common symptoms associated with TMJ syndrome include the following:
- Headaches
- Shoulder, neck, facial and jaw pain
- Clicking, popping and locking of the jaw
- Stiff jaw muscles
- Earaches
Difficult Oral Health Upkeep Can Lead To Serious Diseases
Gum disease is a serious issue throughout the USA, and this condition occurs when an individual’s gums become severely infected and inflamed. Gum disease is also referred to as “periodontal disease”, and it’s often caused by poor hygiene habits and genetic factors.
Almost half of all American adults over 30 suffer from at least minor levels of gum disease, so there’s no denying just how prevalent gum disease can be even when you don’t have crooked teeth!
Crowded teeth will many times be the cause of gum disease, primarily because crowded teeth are much harder to thoroughly clean. Gum disease is reversible and undoubtedly treatable, but what’s even more concerning is the potential for other issues like heart disease and diabetes that can be caused by gum disease.
Speech Problems
Speech from a physical standpoint is originated in pressing our tongues out against our teeth in all sorts of different shapes. This subsequently means that crooked teeth can pose a negative impact on an individual’s overall speech functionality.
This means that crooked teeth can lead to:
- A lisp
- Slurred speech
- Mispronounced words
- Problems being understood correctly
Reach Out To The Orthodontic Specialists At JK Orthodontics For More Information About Our Treatment Options
All of us at JK Orthodontics understand that correcting people’s smiles goes so much further than aesthetic improvements, because having a straight, healthy smile is an important investment for you or your child’s long-term future.
Reach out to us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin office) or 614-471-6355 (Gahanna office) to get in touch with our team and let us know how we can support you with our comprehensive, high-quality orthodontic services!