Everybody loves a beautiful smile. But straight teeth are more than just a cosmetic concern. Crooked teeth can cause a whole host of dental health conditions affecting your teeth, gums and jaws.

This article will answer the question, "Are teeth supposed to be straight?" and discuss how to get straight teeth using orthodontic treatments like aligners or braces. We'll also review the various health benefits of straight teeth, including why straight teeth:

1. Lower the Risk of Tooth Decay

2. Decrease Wear and Tear

3. Prevent Periodontal Disease

4. Reduce the Chance of Jaw Issues

5. Improve Sleep Apnea

6. Help You Chew Better

7. Support Heart Health

Are Teeth Supposed to Be Straight?

The truth is that, ideally, teeth should be straight. However, many people have some degree of malocclusion or crookedness in their teeth. This is due to a variety of factors, including genetics, environmental influences and lifestyle choices. And looks can be deceiving — even with straight front teeth, there's a chance that a person's back teeth are crooked.

Your teeth are made to work together in a certain way, like gears on a wheel. Straight teeth allow your "gears" to mesh correctly and work well together, promoting your oral and overall health. On the other hand, if your teeth are not straight, your gears gnash against each other, causing various problems.

7 Health Benefits of Straight Teeth

There are numerous health benefits of straight teeth. As a general rule, it's safe to say that straighter teeth are healthier teeth. But why? It's because straight teeth:

1. Lower the Risk of Tooth Decay

One of the essential benefits of straight teeth is that they can help prevent tooth decay. When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, it can be difficult to properly clean them. Food particles, plaque and bacteria can get trapped in the crevices and spaces between your teeth, making it easier for decay-causing bacteria to grow and thrive.

With straight teeth, however, cleaning your teeth effectively is much easier. When your teeth are correctly aligned, your toothbrush and floss can reach all surfaces of your teeth, including those hard-to-reach areas that can be missed with crooked teeth. This means that you can remove plaque and bacteria more effectively, reducing your risk of developing tooth decay.

2. Decrease Wear and Tear

In addition to preventing tooth decay, straight teeth can also help prevent wear and tear on your teeth. When your teeth are misaligned or crooked, they can rub against each other in ways that cause excess friction and wear. Over time, this can cause small chips or cracks to develop in your teeth, eventually leading to more serious problems.

With straight teeth, however, there is less friction between your teeth, which means that they are less likely to experience this type of wear and tear. When your teeth are correctly aligned, they can function more effectively and efficiently, which can help prevent these types of problems from occurring.

Another factor to consider is that misalignments can also put extra pressure on certain teeth, which can cause them to wear down more quickly. For example, if you have one tooth significantly out of alignment, it may bear more of the chewing forces than other teeth. Over time, this can cause that tooth to wear down faster than the others, leading to additional problems like sensitivity or pain.

By contrast, when your teeth are properly aligned, each tooth can share the chewing forces more evenly. This can help prevent any one tooth from bearing excessive pressure, which can help prevent wear and tear on your teeth.

3. Prevent Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is a serious condition affecting the gums and bones that support your teeth. If left untreated, it can cause gum inflammation, bone loss and even tooth loss.

One of the primary causes of periodontal disease is poor oral hygiene. When crooked teeth prevent you from properly brushing and flossing, the plaque and bacteria that build up on and around your teeth lead to inflammation and infection in the gums. Over time, this can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets where bacteria can thrive and causing further damage to the gums and bones.

In addition to making it easier to maintain good oral hygiene, straight teeth can reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease by lowering the stress on your gums and bones. When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, they can put extra pressure on certain areas of the gums and bones, which can cause damage and inflammation. With straight teeth, however, each tooth can share the chewing forces more evenly, reducing stress on any one area.

4. Reduce the Chance of Jaw Issues

Straight teeth can help your jaws stay aligned and lower the chances of jaw pain. When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, it can affect how your jaws fit together, causing stress and strain on your jaw joints.

Over time, this stress can lead to a condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), which is characterized by pain, stiffness and clicking or popping sounds in the jaw. TMD can also cause headaches, earaches and difficulty opening and closing your mouth.

However, straightening your teeth can reduce the risk of developing TMD and other jaw-related issues. Straight teeth help ensure that your jaws are aligned correctly, reducing the stress and strain on your jaw joints. 

In addition to reducing the risk of TMD, having straight teeth can help prevent other types of jaw pain, such as pain caused by teeth grinding or clenching. When your teeth are aligned, they fit together more smoothly, reducing the risk of wear and tear and the need to grind or clench them.

5. Improve Sleep Apnea

In some instances, the jaw misalignments associated with crooked teeth can contribute to sleep apnea, a condition in which a person stops breathing for short periods of time while they sleep. 

These misalignments can cause your airway to become blocked while you sleep, leading to snoring and sleep apnea. Straight teeth can help prevent the misalignments contributing to sleep apnea, improving overall sleep quality and reducing your risk of related health problems.

6. Help You Chew Better

Having straight teeth can help you chew your food more effectively. When your teeth are aligned, they fit together more smoothly, making it easier to grind and break down your food. This can be particularly important for foods that are tough or hard to chew, such as meat, nuts and raw vegetables.

When you're able to chew your food more effectively, it can also improve your digestive health. This is because the process of chewing is the first step in the digestion process. As you chew, your teeth break down your food into smaller pieces, which are then mixed with saliva and enzymes to break down the food further.

When you don't chew your food thoroughly, it can be more challenging for your body to digest it properly. Large pieces of food can be more difficult for your stomach to break down, which can lead to digestive discomfort and other issues.

7. Support Heart Health

Straight teeth also have a surprising connection to good heart health. We've already mentioned how crooked teeth can promote periodontal disease. Gum disease has been linked to a variety of other health issues, including heart disease. 

When bacteria from gum disease enter your bloodstream, it can cause inflammation and damage to your blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues. By straightening your teeth, you can make it easier to practice good dental hygiene, reducing the risk of health issues related to gum disease. 

How to Get Straight Teeth

Knowing how to get straight teeth is easy. The alignment or straightening of teeth can be accomplished in several ways. Clear aligners can pressure teeth in specific areas to move them back into place. Traditional metal braces are another popular method for straightening your teeth, as are clear braces, which use ceramic material that's less noticeable than metal. Another option is sublingual braces, which are placed on the back of your teeth. A well-trained orthodontist can help you decide which method is best for you.

Trust Beth's Braces for Straight Teeth

Now that we've discussed the health benefits of straight teeth, you're ready for the next step — an orthodontic consultation to discuss options for straightening your teeth. Adults and children across the greater Las Vegas area and Henderson depend on Beth's Braces for the orthodontic treatment they need. Contact us today to take advantage of everything we have to offer.