Do you feel cautious while smiling because of crooked teeth? There are various causes of crooked teeth like genetics, poor dental hygiene, congenital abnormalities, facial injury, etc. Whatever the reason be, they inflict a lot of damage to your self-esteem. Crooked teeth need to be treated as they are hazardous to your dental and overall health as well.
We are listing here the 7 possible health problems which you can suffer because of crooked teeth:-
1. Bad Breath
It is not easy to brush and floss properly with crooked teeth. Hence, the left-over food particles in your mouth can generate bacteria. These bacteria cause bad breath. You can opt for mouth fresheners to fix bad breath temporarily. But you need to go for permanent treatment soon.
2. Gum Diseases
Gum disease is another health problem caused due to lack of oral hygiene. When your teeth don’t get adequately brushed because of being crooked, they generate bacteria and plaque. It leads to gum recession and infections. Crooked teeth also provide space as a breeding ground for plaque.
3. Broken Teeth
The enamel of your tooth protects it from any wear and tear. But teeth can rub against each other if some of them are crooked. This rubbing damages the enamel and leaves your teeth exposed to cavities and bacteria. It will result in dental problems like tooth loss or broken teeth.
4. Possibility of TMJ
Crooked teeth are often the cause of TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder. It is a chronic disorder that causes pain in your ear, jaw, neck, and even shoulders. The crooked teeth are responsible for wear and tear of your jaw and TMJ joint leading to this painful condition.
5. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is dangerous for your overall health. It can pose problems like loud snoring and tiredness to severe conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease. Crooked teeth disrupt the natural airway for you during sleep leading to obstructive sleep apnea. You should visit your orthodontist at the earliest in this situation.
6. Difficulty in Chewing
If food is not chewed properly, it leads to indigestion. You can also choke up on some of the foods. The crooked teeth come hand in hand with a misaligned jaw most of the time. This makes upper or lower teeth rub against each other, causing difficulty in chewing.
7. Speech Problems
The placement of your tongue changes with crooked or overlapping teeth. This allows excess air to flow in between your teeth. As a result, you might end up creating a whistle- like sound when you speak. You might also slur while pronouncing words with certain alphabets. If there is a family history of misaligned teeth, then you must make sure that you inform your dentist and start adopting good dental habits for your child early on to develop healthy kids teeth.
To Sum Up!
Now that you know that there is a possibility of severe overall health issues by not opting to treat crooked teeth, you should seek an opinion from your orthodontist at the earliest..There are multiple crooked teeth treatment options available, like braces and Invisalign. Your orthodontist will suggest an appropriate treatment for your condition. All
the best on your way to a perfect smile!
Author Bio:
Creating perfect smiles is what Dr. Satish Pai is committed to. An orthodontist by profession, he believes that a perfect smile is a powerful part of a person’s personality. When he is not working hard on perfecting his patients’ smiles at Putnam Ortho, he is busy writing engaging articles about everything related to healthy and perfect smiles. His other passions include golf, yoga and surfing. Spending time with his family always brings a smile on his face.
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