6 Reasons Straight Teeth Make Your Smile Healthier

Orthodontics for Children: Why Having Straight Teeth Matters

Let’s get one thing straight: the aesthetics of a straight smile are to die for. Maybe not literally, but they sure do make it easier to smile. And as a parent, who wouldn’t want that for their child? Just to make your decision to have your child’s malocclusion fixed a little more of a no-brainer, we’ve got 6 more reasons why having straight teeth helps your child’s smile. 

1. Easier To Brush and Floss

It’s much easier to maintain a healthy mouth when you have straight teeth. Crowded, overlapping teeth create nooks and crannies where food particles and plaque can hide. Even if your child maintains a good oral hygiene routine, they may still miss some crevices, and over time, this kind of buildup has the potential to lead to a number of dental problems. 

Flossing is also an important part of every good oral hygiene routine. With crowded teeth, placing the floss in between each tooth can prove challenging for your child. As any good parent will tell you: when it’s hard for your child to do something, they are not likely to do it. This presents a greater opportunity for bad bacteria to flourish. 

2. Decreases Enamel Wear and Tear

Improving your child’s dental alignment with pediatric orthodontics can decrease enamel wear and tear. Every time you bite down, the pressure should be distributed uniformly across your teeth such that all the teeth wear down evenly. But this only happens when the teeth on the upper jaw line up with the ones on the lower jaw. With misaligned teeth, some of your child’s teeth may experience more pressure when biting and chewing. This creates uneven wear and can cause chips and cracks. 

3. Improves Function

Your teeth’s primary function is to help you chew food. Straight teeth accomplish that goal much better than crooked teeth. If your child can’t chew food properly, they may struggle to eat certain types of food, avoid them altogether, or swallow bigger pieces than they ought to, creating a whole host of digestive issues. The more comfortable it is for your child to chew, the more likely it is that your little one enjoys eating a variety of healthy foods that have a significant positive impact on their overall health. 

4. Reduces Risk of Dental Injury

Protruding teeth, particularly the top front ones, put your child at greater risk of dental injury. Teeth that stick out are much more susceptible to injury when your child falls, gets hit by a ball, or takes a stray elbow to the face during playtime. It’s also harder to create a comfortable, well-fitting mouth guard for sports and other physical activities. With pediatric orthodontics, your dentist can move the protruding teeth back into alignment and keep them out of harm’s way.

5. Lowers Risk of Tooth Decay

Just as having straight teeth makes it easier to brush and floss, it also reduces the risk of tooth decay. Most people think it’s sugar that causes cavities, but it’s actually plaque bacteria that leads to holes in your child’s teeth. What your child eats only matters because bacteria feast on those leftover food particles. Since misaligned teeth create the perfect hideout for both plaque and food particles, it’s a playground for tooth decay. Straightening your child’s teeth will mean your efforts to help them maintain good oral hygiene will go even further in lowering their risk of tooth decay.

6. Keeps Gums Healthy

Gums don’t always fit snugly when teeth aren’t properly aligned. This creates spaces around the gumline where bacteria and food particles can accumulate. Such a buildup of bacteria can lead to an infection. So instead of healthy, pink, firm gums supporting your teeth, you may notice red, inflamed tissue in its place—a condition known as gingivitis. Without treatment, the inflammation may eventually move from the gums into the jawbone, resulting in tooth loss. With straight teeth, your little one’s gums have a better chance of maintaining that healthy, pink hue you’ve come to know and love. 

Straight teeth make for healthy smiles.

It’s undeniable how beneficial straight teeth are in helping your child maintain a healthy smile. To start your little one on their journey toward a healthier, straighter smile, book a consultation with either of the excellent pediatric dentists at our Vancouver, Washington, office. We’re thrilled to offer kids across Washington the chance to straighten their smiles—and change their lives!