Ask the Dentist: Straightening Teeth can Benefit Your Smile & Oral Health

By Langdon Dental

Straightening Teeth Can Benefit Your Smile and Oral Health

Even with the development of less intrusive methods for straightening teeth, not everyone is ready to move forward with orthodontic treatment. Many older Canadians feels that there have to be some significant advantages apart from teeth lined up beautifully for treatment to be worth their while. The good news is that there are many oral health benefits that come from having teeth in better alignment. Our previous blog highlighted the health of jaw joints and how they’re impacted when teeth and arches don’t fit together. But there are several oral health advantages that come from correcting misaligned teeth, and these advantages benefit patients of all ages.

Let’s Talk Gum Health

We just can’t seem to get through a single article without bringing up gum health! Maybe it’s because the condition and health of this tissue plays such a big role in a person’s overall health. Inflamed gum tissue is a common accompaniment to crooked teeth and a mouth that is prone to excessive grinding. Bacteria (plaque) always play a part in the development of inflammation, but other factors like a bad bite and the habit of bruxism exacerbate the situation. Keeping gum tissue free from plaque is tough when teeth are overlapping one another, and teeth in wonky positions create perfect hiding spots for plaque and food debris. This means gum inflation. But it’s not just gum tissue that becomes inflamed, it’s also every tissue in the body, as the bacteria in plaque are able to enter the bloodstream and cause further problems. Straight teeth are much easier to keep clean as brushing and flossing teeth that are in ideal alignment can’t hide bacteria and food as easily.

What about Bone Health?

You don’t often read about the health of the bone that surrounds and supports teeth. Maybe because it’s not visible, it doesn’t get the attention it deserves. But, just like the health of gum tissue is influenced by bacteria, so too is bone health. When gums are inflamed and have pulled back from teeth in an attempt to escape the source of inflammation, bone is then exposed to the same bacteria, only with more significant consequences. The same bacteria that cause gums to swell and bleed cause the destruction of bone. Teeth become more mobile with time, and patients are at risk for premature tooth loss. If you want to keep your teeth for a lifetime, you have to take care of all oral tissues – including the bone.