Did you know that orthodontics can play a big role in your overall health? Yup, that’s right, getting straight teeth and a well-aligned, functional bite go a long way in helping you maintain a healthy quality of life. But how? Here, your Surrey and Langley orthodontists, Aura Orthodontics, presents 10 connections between straight teeth from braces or Invisalign® and your overall health.
1. Encourages Effective Oral Hygiene and Healthier Teeth & Gums
The importance of straight teeth on oral health can’t be stressed enough. You see, brushing and flossing crooked teeth isn’t always the same as brushing and flossing straight teeth. Straight teeth promotes a more effective clean, with fewer nooks and crannies for plaque to hide or big gaps for food debris to get stuck. More effective brushing and flossing means fewer oral health issues like tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.
2. Helps with Chewing & Digestion
Having straight, well-aligned teeth makes it easier to chew your food properly, in turn, aiding digestion. In contrast, a 2001 study found that impaired chewing affected oral bacteria and led to an increased risk of gastrointestinal problems. Another study showed a link between chewing problems and digestive issues like bloating, cramps, and constipation or diarrhea.
3. Aids in Clear Speech
Speech difficulties like lisping, slurring, or mispronouncing sounds are sometimes due to crooked teeth, gaps or a bad bite. One of the health benefits of braces or Invisalign is aligning teeth and jaws so they’re positioned for improved speech — with the help of myofunctional speech therapy if needed.
4. Decreases Risk of Dental Trauma
Protruding upper teeth can be more susceptible to getting injured, especially if you’re active or involved in sports. In this case, the health benefits of braces are clear: they align your “buck teeth” with the upper dental arch and reduce the risk of dental trauma.
5. Helps Maintain Healthy Jaw Bones and Facial Structure
It’s obvious that your jaw bones are integral to your oral and facial structure. But it might come as a surprise that they need stimulation from well-functioning teeth to remain strong. Gaps or teeth that don’t function well can under stimulate the jawbone, leading to resorption. Think of it as a “use-it-or-lose-it” situation. So the health benefits of braces and Invisalign here? Orthodontics ensures teeth function at their best for adequate jaw stimulation.
6. Reduces Headaches
A misaligned jaw or crooked teeth can lead to bruxism or temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) which can cause headaches and migraines. Aligning your teeth and bite so they stack properly gives your jaw and facial muscles a rest and helps with pain.
7. Is Equated With Lung and Heart Health
The oral health and overall health connection includes your respiratory system? Yes, research suggests a link between oral bacteria and lung health. Too much oral bacteria has been linked with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other cardiovascular disease. And chronic inflammation from gum disease is linked to cardiovascular issues, too. Simply put, straight teeth = effective cleaning = healthier lungs.
8. Promotes Nasal Breathing
Nasal breathing is the preferred way to breathe since it typically provides more oxygen than mouth breathing. But sometimes nasal obstructions combined with a narrow palate prevent nasal breathing, leading to chronic mouth breathing. The oral health, overall health connection here is that braces open up the palate, and a wider palate is known to help open the airway, encouraging easier nasal breathing.
9. Manages Sleep Apnea
We all know that good quality sleep is important for your overall health. But if you suffer from sleep apnea, good sleep quality might escape you. A well-aligned jaw and wider palate from orthodontic treatment can help unblock your airways and reduce your sleep apnea.
10. Boosts Mental Well-Being
Dr. Vishal Sharma, Dr. Everett Lin, and Dr. Julia Koo take a people-first approach and want you to get the most out of your orthodontic treatment at Aura Orthodontics. We want our patients to not only access the physical health benefits of braces and Invisalign but experience the mental health benefits, too. If you feel self-conscious about how your smile looks, you’re stressed over dental issues, or overwhelmed by chronic pain, we can provide orthodontic treatment to help lighten these stressors and improve your mental health.
Improve Oral Health and Overall Health With Your Fraser Valley Orthodontists
Certified specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, Drs. Sharma, Lin, and Koo, are passionate about helping patients achieve beautiful new smiles that also help improve quality of life.
Contact us today for high tech, personalized orthodontic treatment and friendly patient care in Scottsdale, Guildford, and Langley.
