It's Not Just Your Crooked Smile: Four More Dangers Of Misaligned Teeth

Dentist Blog

Most people with crooked teeth straighten them so that they can have beautiful teeth. although having a beautiful smile with symmetrical teeth is great, teeth straightening isn't just for cosmetic reasons. There are dental health issues associated with misaligned teeth—here are five examples:

Teeth Grinding

Dental misalignment is a common cause of teeth grinding (bruxism). Teeth grinding can cause problems such as:

  • Headaches
  • A sore jaw
  • Fractured teeth
  • Loss of teeth
  • Chances in facial appearance
  • Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD)

If your bruxism has been traced back to crooked teeth, you may have to wear braces (or align the teeth via other means) to get rid of the above symptoms.

Diseased Gums

Keeping your mouth and teeth clean is the best way of maintaining healthy gums and teeth. Unfortunately, it is difficult to clean crooked teeth because the asymmetry makes it difficult to reach some areas. This means bits of teeth may remain on your teeth even if you regularly brush. Bacteria will feed on those bits of food and attack your gums, leading to redness of the gums and swelling.

In such a situation, treating the gum issue is just a short-term solution to a long-term issue. You will have to treat the gum issue and correct the misalignment for a permanent solution.

Abnormal Tooth Wear

Your teeth are very strong, especially the outer covering (enamel) which protects the inner teeth structures from physical damage and diseases. Unfortunately, the teeth are still subject to normal wear and tear. This normal wear may not amount to much if your teeth are straight. If you have crooked teeth, however, some sections of the teeth may rub against each other the wrong way, and this will accelerate the rate of wear. When the enamel gets erode, bacteria can easily get into your teeth and cause serious problems.

Increased Risk of Serious Teeth Injury

Lastly, having crooked teeth also makes you more susceptible to teeth injury. The human body is designed in such a way that the vital organs are always protected from serious injury. However, this only applies if there is no physical deformity. When your teeth don't align property, for instance, the protruding sections of the teeth lose their natural protection and can easily crack or even break off in the case of an accident.

As you can see, you have a lot to gain by getting your misaligned teeth straightened out. If you have crooked teeth, consult a dentist like Frederic J Mrugala DDS to help you plan your treatment and enjoy the associated dental and health benefits.

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17 July 2017

Improving My Dental Appointments

After dealing with a few root canals, I realized that it was time to take my dental hygiene a more seriously. I talked with my dentist about what I could do differently, and he was full of great suggestions that would help. He walked me through different ways to brush, floss, and take care of tartar buildup, and it was really amazing to see the difference that it made. I also started taking a fluoride supplement to strengthen my enamel. When I made it to my next appointment, my dentist was blown away with the improvement. This blog is all about improving your dental appointments by keeping your teeth healthier.