National Smile Month is the perfect time to focus on our oral health, and an important part of that is whether our teeth are misaligned. While it’s easy to think that fixing crooked teeth is purely for aesthetic reasons, that couldn’t be further than the truth. Read on to find out more.
What is National Smile Month?
National Smile Month is a charity awareness month that champions the benefits of having good oral health and promotes the importance of a healthy smile. Despite many improvements in oral health over the last few years, there’s still plenty to be done to increase awareness of the importance of good oral health practices. National Smile Month offers the perfect time to shout about oral health and allows us to step back and focus on what’s important when it comes to our teeth.
Why is our tooth alignment so important for our oral health?
One important aspect of oral health is how straight our teeth are. That’s because misaligned teeth can lead to many potential issues, from tooth decay and overcrowding to problems with our jaw and bite.
Why is it important to correct crooked teeth?
Unnecessary wear and tear
Our teeth are designed to undergo normal wear and tear from chewing. When you have crooked teeth, your teeth can experience more wear and tear than normal. This added pressure can cause your teeth to weaken and may be more likely to crack or break. In fact, when one tooth rubs against another, it can even cause the enamel to wear down. This leads to weaker teeth, which makes them more prone to trauma and decay – a key focus of National Smile Month.
Crooked teeth can cause infection
One of the main focuses of National Smile Month is keeping your teeth and gums clean and healthy. If you have crooked teeth, there are harder-to-reach areas. Consequently, your teeth may become susceptible to having areas that harbor bacteria, even if you brush and floss as you should. This can lead to tooth decay and gingivitis, which can impact other areas of your body. For instance, in serious cases, the bacteria from a tooth infection can even cause sepsis and an infection of the heart’s lining called endocarditis.
Misaligned teeth can lead to problems with chewing
When you think of National Smile Month, you might think about your teeth being white, or free from infection. But another key part of oral health is whether your teeth are misaligned. When you have crooked teeth, it can negatively affect your bite. This can lead to headaches, uneven wear on teeth, and an inability to chew food effectively. The weaker your teeth get from uneven wear, the more complications you can experience.
How can braces help keep your smile healthy?
Crooked teeth don’t simply affect your self-esteem, they can affect your overall health too. Braces can help correct many oral health issues, including an overbite, an underbite, overcrowding, and more. To take control of your misaligned teeth and oral health this National Smile Month, please contact us today on 020 8265 9797.