7 Health Problems Associated with Crooked Teeth
Too many people write off crooked teeth as a purely cosmetic concern, reasoning that it's the health rather than the appearance of teeth that should matter. That's true, but crooked teeth actually come with a number of associated health risks, and not just for your mouth. Read this article to learn about the damage crooked teeth can cause.
1. Increases Chances of Decay
You need to brush and floss your teeth regularly in order to avoid tooth decay. Unfortunately, brushes will have difficulty finding their way into all the nooks and crannies of crooked teeth, and flossing will also be much harder.
2. Increases Chances of Gum Disease
Gum disease is caused when the bacteria in your mouth is allowed to form into plaque. As stated, this is harder to prevent when your teeth are crooked, but the problem is also allowed to advance faster. This is because your gums will not fit as securely around your teeth, leaving even more room for bacteria to grow.
3. Wears Down Enamel
Teeth are designed to fit together in a certain way. Crooked teeth become crowded together and tend to protrude, meaning that they don't come together properly when you close your mouth. This leads to undue wearing of their enamel.
4. Increases the Risk of Chips and Cracks
Teeth that protrude won't be as resilient to injury as those that are straight. A straight tooth might have been able to take a knock without incident, but the same pressure could easily cause damaged to a crooked tooth.
5. Contributes to Bad Breath
Crooked teeth never look great, but they can end up smelling even worse than they look. This is because bad breath is caused by bacteria lingering in the mouth. The fact that this is difficult to eradicate means that your breath is unlikely to be pleasing.
6. Lowers Self-Esteem
The negative health effects of crooked teeth aren't all physical. A crooked smile may reduce your confidence and prevent you from wanting to flash your pearly whites. This can become even more of a factor should bad breath, chipping, and tooth decay begin to take their toll.
7. Impacts Your Overall Health
Studies have shown that the state of your oral health can significantly affect your overall well-being. In fact, having gum disease increases your likelihood of developing conditions as serious as diabetes and heart disease.
If you have crooked teeth, don't fool yourself into thinking that it's a problem you can ignore. Instead, contact a cosmetic dentist as soon as possible to get the problem sorted.