Three Ways Having Your Teeth Straightened Could Benefit Your Health
Having straight teeth isn't just a matter of being able to smile with confidence. If you're interested in having your teeth straightened, there are some other benefits you should know about, too. Here are three potential health benefits you could enjoy after you've had your teeth straightened.
Better Digestion
If you have seriously crooked teeth or an underbite or overbite, chances are you're not actually chewing as effectively as you should. Braces could change that.
It might sound silly, but in reality, chewing plays a big role in how you digest your food. Thoroughly and adequately chewing up your food allows bacteria in your saliva to start the pre-digestion process, making it easier on your stomach. But when your teeth don't line up neatly, you're more likely to chew your food inadequately and swallow bigger pieces that don't get a chance to fully undergo the pre-digestion process. Once your teeth are straightened, this is no longer an issue.
Better Sleep
Would you believe that your teeth could make you snore? It's true. People who have overbites are more likely to snore in the night.
This is because snoring is typically due to the windpipe closing while you're asleep. If your lower jaw is too far back, it's easier for this to happen. By drawing your lower jaw further forward with braces and potentially widening it as well if necessary, you can eliminate this problem and breathe more easily at night. Snoring can prevent you from sleeping well and even increases your risk of having cardiovascular health problems, so it's important to do what you can to keep yourself from snoring, even if that means braces.
Less Risk of TMJ
Braces can also lower or eliminate your risk of developing TMJ, or temporomandibular joint disorder. This refers to the joints that allow your jaw to act like a hinge, located by the ears.
When you have an uneven bite, underbite, or overbite, your jaw's pressure points aren't where they're supposed to be. Instead of pressure being evenly distributed over all of your teeth, some teeth will take more pressure than others because they're in the wrong places. This can put stress on your temporomandibular joints and ultimately lead to the development of TMJ.
TMJ is quite painful and can lead to stiffness, popping, and locking of the jaw joints. If you're already experiencing TMJ, braces can help to put a stop to it, and if you're not, it can help to keep it from happening to you.
Braces have a big role to play that goes beyond giving you a perfect smile. For more information about these benefits, contact companies like Donald E. Snyder Orthodontics.
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