If you’ve crooked teeth, you’ve probably noticed how much confidence it saps out of you when it comes to smiling. Everyone dreams of a strong and straight smile, and when this isn’t possible, your self-esteem drops and you hide your smile more than you should.
Known as tooth misalignment, modern dentistry means this can be instantly resolved so you can be proud to show off your smile again. It is important to address that tooth misalignment is common, and whilst it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it can progressively damage your oral health if it’s not seen to.
What impacts can tooth misalignment have on your oral health? Let’s find out!
Gum Disease
Tooth misalignment means that your teeth can hide behind or over your teeth. When brushing your teeth, this makes it difficult to clean, because there will be areas of your teeth that a toothbrush will find difficult to reach. This means that food debris will remain stuck and cause dental plaque build-up. Dental plaque build-up contains bacteria that can spread around your teeth and gums.
Tooth Decay
Tooth decay has several stages, but when it progresses to an advanced stage, it’s likely that your tooth will become unrepairable. This means it will need to be extracted completely. The first stage of tooth decay is dental plaque build-up, followed by enamel erosion and the forming of a dental abscess. Tooth misalignment can cause this to escalate because food becomes stuck easily.
Wear And Tear Through Chewing
When the lower jaw overlaps the upper jaw, this means that your teeth have protruded. This can be caused by the tongue pressing further forward in the mouth, causing malocclusion. This can cause other conditions such as teeth grinding and natural wear-and-tear when the teeth begin to come in contact with each other. This becomes more noticeable when you’re eating.
Headaches
Malocclusion can also cause frequent headaches. The jaw muscles become strained over time as it maximises its effort, and this can lead to headaches forming over time.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
Excess strain on your jaw muscles, along with an uneven biting point is also a sign of TMJ disorder. When you feel pain from biting down on food, the jaw muscles become further strained, even when you’re biting down on your food. Through tooth misalignment or a bad bite, the jaw works twice as harder, and this will naturally cause pain and further strain.
If you or your child has tooth misalignment, tell us! We are here to help you and your smile. Please don’t hesitate to contact our professional dentist in Wollongong. We also have experienced and higly qualified dentists in Fairy Meadow to help you and answer all of your questions. Book your first appointment!
