Everyone knows that crowded teeth can cause the teeth to become crooked. No one wants a crooked smile, but crowded teeth can do worse things than effect your looks: they can also cause serious health issues.
Here are five ways crowded teeth can affect your health:
- Periodontal problems: Crowded teeth can cause periodontal problems, such as gum disease. This happens because as the bacteria in the mouth create plaque growth, the gum recedes from the teeth leaving more room for bacteria to grow.
- Bad breath: Crowding of teeth can cause bad breath because as the teeth come closer together, it can make it more difficult to get rid of bacteria which causes bad breath.
- Tooth injury: Crowded teeth tend to make some upper teeth stick out. These teeth are more likely to be injured by chipping or breaking in the event of an accident.
- Tooth wear: Crowded teeth can cause certain teeth to wear faster than others as some teeth end up doing much more work and others none at all.
- Gastrointestinal issues: Crowding can cause gastrointestinal issues such as heartburn when it leads to bad chewing habits. The food does not get digested as well, which can lead to heartburn and even acid reflux if left unchecked.
What can you do about crowded teeth?
You will need to see your dentist and discuss with him or her, your options to reduce the crowding and straighten the teeth that have become crooked because they of crowded teeth.
Your options are generally extraction or expansion, this means pulling a tooth (teeth in some instances) or using braces in order to move the teeth over to make room.
If you want to know what option is best for your crowded teeth in Oshawa, speak to your dentist.