Misaligned teeth are often thought of as just a cosmetic problem, but did you know they can actually be detrimental to your oral and overall health? It’s true. Our bite can affect everything from our self-esteem to how we chew and the condition of our teeth. If you or someone you love has a misaligned bite, here are some health risks your bite could pose, and a solution that will help improve your bite and overall oral health.
Bad Breath
One of the negative side effects of a bad bite is often bad breath. That’s because when your teeth are not aligned, they can potentially trap food and plaque that is difficult to remove by brushing and flossing alone.
Trapped Food
As we mentioned before, when your teeth are crooked it can be easier for food particles to become trapped between them, especially if the teeth overlap.
Teeth Chipping or Cracking
Sometimes when your bite is misaligned, your teeth may graze each other while you are speaking or chewing. This can cause the teeth to have uneven wear, chipping, or cracking.
Cold Sensitivity
Because misaligned teeth can make brushing difficult, they can also affect the condition of the gums, causing them to be more sensitive to extreme temperatures like hot, cold, or acidic foods.
Biting Cheeks, Tongue, or Lips
With a misaligned bite, it’s easy to accidentally bite your lips, cheeks, or tongue while speaking or chewing. This can be extremely painful and can open your mouth up to infection.
Mouth Breathing
A misaligned bite can cause mouth breathing because your jaw affects the size of your airway. That means a bad bite could potentially cause difficulty breathing, thus requiring you to compensate by mouth breathing. Mouth breathing also causes dry mouth, which can cause bad breath and cavities, because our mouths need saliva to help protect against bacteria.
Jaw Pain
The way we hold our jaw can cause immense pain if not done properly. A misaligned bite can cause the jaw to tense to compensate for the misalignment during chewing or speaking, which can cause jaw pain and soreness.
Speech Difficulties
When your bite is misaligned, it affects your tongue positioning too. This can often result in difficulty pronouncing words properly, and can even cause lisping.
Gum Problems
A bad bite can affect your gums by causing indentations and gum recession, because it causes some teeth to bear more pressure than others. This pressure is not good for the teeth, as your teeth should work together in a concerted effort to properly chew your food.
Oral Hygiene Problems
When you have misaligned teeth, it can be very difficult to properly care for them. Teeth with too-tight spaces can be hard to floss between. Overlapped teeth can get food trapped between them and cause buildup and cavities that are hard to treat.
The Solution
Thankfully, despite the many problems a misaligned bite can cause, there is a solution. Invisalign® clear aligners are a newer take on braces. They fit comfortably over the teeth and gradually shift the teeth over time. They are clear, so they are virtually undetectable, creating a more professional and streamlined appearance.
Invisalign® aligners are perfect for adults and teens, and can be extremely effective at correcting a bad bite. They are easy to clean, and can be removed for meals so you can chew with ease, and clean your teeth well before putting them back on.
Most importantly however, Invisalign® can correct a bad bite, virtually eliminating the dangers a bad bite causes to the mouth. While you may need some intervention to correct the issues caused by a bad bite, bite correction will hopefully stop them from worsening or continuing in the future.
To learn more about Invisalign®, please contact Dr. Abelar today!
