Braces are not just to enhance your appearance. There are also many health benefits to wearing braces. They can help you feel better by correcting crowded or crooked teeth, overbites, underbites, and spacing issues.

Do you know how braces work? When braces are used, tension is placed on your teeth. This tension moves them in a distinct direction. The treatment plan provided by your orthodontist is specific to your needs. Your orthodontist will likely suggest that you periodically use a retainer for the rest of your life to help prevent your teeth from shifting. Shifting can occur over the years without the use of a retainer.

There are many benefits to braces, some of which may be very surprising.

Clean Teeth

Unaligned teeth can lead to issues with keeping a clean mouth. Properly brushing and flossing your teeth when they are not aligned can be a problem. If your teeth are too close together, you may not be able to floss between each tooth. Poor dental hygiene can lead to complications with the gums like gingivitis or gum disease. Bacteria can build up in crowded spaces, leading to bad breath. Of course, this can also lead to tooth deterioration and cavities. Cleaning your teeth properly will help prevent bacteria from building up in your mouth.

Protected Teeth

If you are an athlete, you may have experienced an injury to one of your teeth. A car accident or fall can result in a tooth injury. Injuries are more likely to occur if you have teeth that project in an outward manner. Braces will correct any teeth that are protruding by aligning them. Subsequently, your teeth will be protected better in these situations.

Effortless Chewing

If your teeth are not aligned correctly, there may be some discomfort while eating. Misaligned teeth can be more than uncomfortable. They can make eating painful. Fortunately, braces can help ease or eliminate this discomfort and pain by aligning your teeth, enabling you to enjoy your food.

Enhanced Digestion

Chewing your food approximately 32 times helps break it down to prevent digestive issues. When food enters your digestive tract in a whole form, it can result in problems. These can include bloating, constipation and gas. It can also lead to certain reactions from the food, headaches and even low energy levels.

Digestive enzymes are released when food is chewed thoroughly. These enzymes aid the process of digestion. However, if your teeth are not aligned properly, you will likely have difficulty breaking down your food. Braces can help align and straighten your teeth, which will help enhance digestion.

Improved Speech

It may shock you to know that orthodontic issues can lead to speech difficulties. If your bite is off or you have crooked teeth, you may have problems pronouncing certain words. Teeth gaps can cause whistling sounds that interfere with speech. Airflow can be difficult with an open bite and can lead to a lisp. An overbite can result in issues with words that require tongue-tip sounds. Additionally, the tongue can have issues moving freely if your teeth are overcrowded. When your teeth are aligned, you can pronounce words better and improve your speech.

Reduced Health Costs

One significant benefit of braces is that they can save money in the long run. When there is an alignment issue, you can have issues cleaning your mouth. An unhealthy mouth can lead to other health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory issues, and even complications in the brain leading to dementia and other diseases. You can save money by correcting your teeth alignment now to keep your mouth healthy. When your mouth is healthy, you can potentially avoid spending more money on other health issues that may result from poor dental hygiene.