There’s more to sporting straight teeth than appearance. We all know that a great smile is associated with better confidence and self-esteem. But there are also some considerable health benefits, and many can be life-changing. This ranges from clearer speech to reduced neck and head pain.

Braces are the primary way to straighten your teeth. Symptoms that suggest you may need them include:

• Teeth that are noticeably crooked or crowded

• Jaw clicking when chewing or waking up

• Struggling with pronunciation

• Frequently biting your tongue

• Stress or fatigue after eating

• Difficulty flossing

Let’s take a closer look at 8 reasons why straight teeth are healthier teeth.

Digestion

Whether naturally straight or professionally corrected, teeth that are in the right place are better for chewing. When your mouth is able to break down food more thoroughly, it assists in speeding up the digestion process.

Your stomach and intestines have to work overtime to deal with food that wasn’t chewed properly. This leads to your body getting less nutrition and experiencing regular stomach issues. Moreover, not adequately breaking down food can lead to an unhealthy gut microbiome – even if you follow a clean diet.

Maintenance

Straighter teeth are less challenging to clean and take care of. It can be impossible to reach certain crevices between crooked teeth when flossing or brushing. This can result in redness and inflammation, which is a sign of periodontal disease. If your pearly whites are straight, keeping them in tip-top condition is far less of a hassle.

Speech Clarity

Many people invest in teeth braces to sound more fluent and articulate when speaking. Malaligned teeth, especially in the upper and lower front region of your mouth, can negatively affect speech patterns and make pronunciation difficult.

This manifests in the form of lisps and unclear words that can cause misunderstandings, which is frustrating to live with. Fortunately, braces improve speech clarity within six months. But how do braces work? Firstly, it’s important to know that there are several different types of braces, each with a unique appearance and cost.

Head over to the following link to learn more: https://www.straightmyteeth.com/how-much-do-braces-cost-in-uk/. At Straight My Teeth, you can explore the different teeth straightening options before taking a free assessment to determine what kind of treatment you need. Their clear aligners are nearly invisible as well as being highly effective and easy to remove.

Pain Relief

Crooked teeth contribute to misalignment issues, which puts unnecessary pressure on your gums, joints and jaw bones. This is known to cause chronic pain in the neck and face areas. It also leads to headaches.

Straightening your teeth will fix any alignment problems and ensure that your bite works correctly. In doing so, your temporomandibular joints are able to move smoothly. You’ll notice less headaches and migraines, as well as finding tasks like chewing less of a hassle.

Breaks and Chips

Straight teeth are less likely to crack or fall when you’re injured. This is partly due to the fact that they’re stronger than crooked teeth, which cannot be properly maintained in terms of hygiene. Of course, crooked teeth also make it easier to bite your tongue and cheeks, leading to painful sores.

That’s why straight teeth offer better protection against cracks, breaks and chips. The cost of repairing your teeth after an accident is far higher than getting them straightened in the first place. In other words, prevention is better than the cure.

Wear and Tear

Similarly, straighter teeth cause less wear and tear on your mouth. This helps your gums, jaw and teeth themselves stay in better condition for longer. The act of biting and chewing alone gradually generates a considerable amount of pressure. Straight teeth can handle this wear and tear without causing any problems.

On the other hand, alignment issues can lead to damaging amounts of stress. This contributes to fractures, notching and abnormal flattening of the surface of your teeth. The resulting damage not only looks unsightly, but also contributes to issues like periodontitis. Needless to say, that the subsequent dental work doesn’t come cheap.

Lifespan

With the aforementioned factors in mind, it should come as no surprise that having straight teeth increases your lifespan. You’ll be happier, healthier and less prone to disease, which all adds years to your life.

Self Confidence

As we touched on earlier, people with crooked teeth are less likely to smile as they feel uncomfortable about their appearance. Meanwhile, those with straight teeth have higher self-esteem and confidence, which goes a long way in creating a happy life. Remember that it’s never too late to invest in the necessary procedures to straighten your teeth.

It’s clear that straight teeth certainly are healthier teeth. Consider the treatments that you can use to straighten your pearly whites if there’s room for improvement. The sooner you make the investment, the better.