Wondering whether or not to straighten your teeth with braces or Invisalign? Here’s why aligning your teeth can benefit both your smile and your overall health.
Straight teeth means healthier, cleaner gums
When teeth are too widely spaced or crowded, they often become inflamed and red – signs of periodontal disease, an infection of the structures around the teeth, including the gums. Aligning your teeth helps the gums fit properly around them, and therefore creates the strongest possible protection against periodontal problems, which can range from mild redness, swelling of the gums (gingivitis) and bleeding when you brush to complete damage to the support structure of a tooth, and eventual tooth loss.
Of course, straight teeth means better cleaning and flossing, too.
“With better oral hygiene and less food trapping, your gum health will improve. A beautiful and fresh smile will then follow,” says Dr Daphne Chua of Aesthete Smilestudio. This means better breath, too!
A cleaner mouth benefits your overall health
The ability to practice effective dental hygiene means you can remove bacteria before it becomes problematic not just for your oral health but your overall health, too; after all, an infection in your mouth can pass through your blood stream. So, what goes on in your mouth can affect the rest of your body – and, what goes on in your body can also affect your mouth!
There has been recent evidence linking gum disease to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature childbirth, explains Dr Tiffany Tan of Dental Designs Clinic.
What’s more, says Dr Tan, having straight teeth reduces bacteria accumulation, thus reducing the onset of gum disease.
Straight teeth can improve your mental health, too
A crucial component of your overall health is, of course, your mental health. Studies have shown that having a better smile not only increases how much you smile, but also improves your confidence and lowers your stress levels.
“There is evidence that healthy and well-aligned teeth can improve self-esteem and general wellbeing,” says Dr Tan.
Proper alignment can help prevent abnormal tooth wear
Properly aligned teeth can also relieve the problems that stem from improper bite, speech or chewing difficulties, jaw problems and increased wear on the tooth enamel.
“Straight teeth gives you more even distribution of biting forces,” says Dr Thean Tsin Piao of Aesthete Smilestudio. “The teeth will wear out more evenly. This prevents excessive wear of some teeth when the teeth are crooked.”
Straightening solutions for everyone
Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age, as teeth can continue to be straightened in adulthood. And, with more aesthetically pleasing options like Invisalign, clear ceramic braces and lingual braces available, more and more adults are deciding to correct their smiles.
Dr Cindy Ho of Aesthete Smilestudio says Invisalign is especially popular among her patients. The clear, removable aligners are comfortable, discreet and predictable, and can be taken out before every meal.
“With Invisalign, teeth straightening can be comfortable and aesthetic. People can now straighten their teeth while enjoying all the foods they love with minimal fuss or pain,” she says.
Dr Tan agrees, saying, “We find more patients of different age groups are choosing Invisalign over traditional braces, as it blends in well with their teeth and has minimal disruption to their lifestyle.”
Directory
Aesthete Smilestudio
#02-04 Clifford Centre, 24 Raffles Place
6438 3811 | aesthetesmilestudio.com
Dental Designs Clinic
120 Telok Ayer Street
6221 8284 | dentaldesigns.com.sg
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