9 Surprising Health Benefits of Straighter Teeth

While straight teeth look great, the health benefits of perfectly straight teeth are often disregarded. But straight teeth are not just about having a fabulous smile (although that is a big part of it). Straighter teeth also have some surprising health benefits. Here are nine other reasons why a perfect smile is not the only benefit when you straighten your teeth.

1. Healthier, Cleaner Teeth

Straight teeth are easier to keep clean. Crooked, crowded, and gaps make brushing your teeth a lot more difficult, and let’s not forget flossing! Enamel is more likely to be damaged and wear away, increasing the possibility your teeth will decay. 

When you brush and floss your teeth effectively, your gums will also thank you. Pockets created by missing, crooked, or crowded teeth will also increase the bacteria that gets trapped in your gums. As periodontal (gum) disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss, straightening your teeth is a long-term investment.

2. Clear and Improved Speech

You may not know that the position of your teeth and bite directly affects how you pronounce words and how clear your speech is. Improved and clearer speech is often underestimated as a potential for influence and building connections.

3. Fewer Problems with Breaks, Chips, or Cracks

Crooked teeth and misaligned bites increase the chance of breaking or cracking teeth. Healthier teeth are stronger and also less likely to have issues with decay, which can cause breaks, chips, and cracks from biting something hard or if you suffer from a hard impact to your mouth in an accident.

4. Reduced Teeth Wear 

When teeth get worn down, they weaken. Although there is some degree of unavoidable wear and tear due to natural ageing, teeth that are crooked, overcrowded, or gaps between teeth can cause them to become worn down faster. One of the most common reasons teeth become worn down is due to teeth clenching, which typically occurs when sleeping. 

When your bite is misaligned, such as an overbite or underbite, you are more likely to grind your teeth. You will also put more pressure on your teeth when biting and chewing, which can speed up the amount of wear caused to your teeth over time. Perfect straight teeth reduce the risk of wear, thinning enamel, decay, yellowing, and chips or breaks.

5. Improved Digestion

Research into the effects of an uneven bite has shown that straight teeth are linked to better digestion. A key finding of this study into orthodontic treatment and gastrointestinal digestive function indicated gastric emptying is slower in patients with malocclusion (an uneven bite). Another study demonstrated that straight teeth have a better chewing ability which increases enzymatic digestion, helping your body get more nutrition from food. Furthermore, you are less likely to get heartburn or indigestion!

6. Reduces Headaches and Migraines

Excess stress on your temporomandibular joints from things like crooked, overcrowded teeth, overbites, and underbites can cause chronic jaw pain, which you can feel in your neck and face. When your bite is aligned, stress and pain are reduced, decreasing the occurrence of headaches and migraines. 

7. Better Breath

When teeth rub against each other, the enamel wears down, increasing the possibility of cracks and chips, leading to tooth decay and bad breath. Furthermore, crooked and crowded teeth typically trap more food particles, making your breath smell as it rots in your mouth. 

8. More Comfortable

Ulcers and sores inside your mouth are painful and irregular teeth increase the risk of biting your tongue and inner cheeks, especially when eating! Additionally, gums are less likely to become irritated when you have perfectly straight teeth and your bite is aligned, making your mouth healthier and more comfortable. 

9.  Improves Your Health

Straighter teeth harbour fewer bacteria and reduce the risk of oral infections. Research has indicated that oral bacteria and infections may lead to poor gut health, liver damage, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. So the healthier your mouth is, the better you are likely to feel.

10. Increased Self-Esteem and Happiness

When you feel embarrassed about how your teeth look, your self-esteem and confidence will probably be knocked down. You might not want to smile or talk or try to cover your mouth with your hand or avoid having photographs taken. Smiling and talking without feeling self-conscious will help to boost your self-worth. And you will seem more friendly and outgoing, qualities that can help you be seen as self-assured. 

Straight teeth and a smile you want to show everyone may improve not just the way you look but also your opportunities for future success! Finally, let’s not forget studies have shown that just smiling can make you feel happier.

How to Get Perfect Straight Teeth

If you want straighter, healthier teeth, you can correct a range of bite problems, including an overbite, underbite, and crossbite, with Invisalign treatment in as little as 9 months. Crooked, overcrowded, and gappy teeth can often be transformed in 6 months or less. Invisalign aligners are very thin plastic aligners. 

You simply wear them 22 hours a day and remove them when eating, drinking, and when brushing and flossing your teeth — making it easy to keep your teeth clean during your treatment.

Find out how you can straighten your teeth with Invisalign treatment  — book a free Smile Makeover Video Consultation with us. Be healthier and happier with perfectly straight teeth and enjoy a lifetime of smile confidence!

AUTHOR

Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) qualified from dental school with honours. Practising from Bournemouth and Poole, he has a keen interest in orthodontics and aesthetic dentistry and is a certified Invisalign provider. Smile Stories provide teeth whitening Bournemouth.