Teeth are very important in the process of eating our food. It is the one breaking all foods down in little pieces so that it can easily be swallowed by our esophagus to our stomach. Without them, you need to have special device to grind the food or change your diet entirely to fluids and similar meals.
If something happens with our teeth, it can also be quite a painful experience. You can feel it in almost your entire body. However, taking care of it is quite easy. All you need to do is brush your teeth two to three times per day, right?
Yes, brushing your teeth is a huge chunk of the whole idea of taking of all of it. However, you should also look into what you eat. According to this article, sugar and salt are one of the most aggressive compounds against this exposed part of our skeletal system. It can be abrasive or it can tear down most of the materials forming our teeth.
The damage can also become so extensive that there is little to no chance for recovery once everything has been done. You probably need to install a dental prosthesis for that, depending on your dentist.
Straight teeth for health and beauty
However, if there is one aspect of the teeth that might be a bit harder to correct on your own, it is the alignment. Some of us are born with the perfect straight line that you might be able to star in your own toothpaste commercial. Unfortunately, most of us do have a crooked set partly because of genetics.
There are other factors that might influence its growth like the diet and such. Genes does play the biggest role though as you may be able to observe with the parents and the children. It is not just the looks that were inherited, but also almost every other aspect. Learn more about genes and teeth here.
Fortunately, we are now living in the modern world. You do not need to suffer from these teeth-related struggles because the field of dentistry has grown. There are now more solutions to these problems and they do tend to be very effective as well. First, let us start with the classic – braces.
Braces are metal wires attached to the teeth and gums, forcing them into a straighter position. Most of these wires are seen on the front teeth as this is what matters the most when it comes to appearances. Meanwhile, the patient has to really suffer the pain of these braces. For the first few days to a week, you cannot even eat solid food because of the pain.
On the other hand, there are retainers. These ones are also metal wires that are installed after the braces have done its job. It will keep the teeth in place and help them conform to their new shape. This is just for control, and it is not to be confused with the actual braces. You may want to opt as well if there are minimal gaps on your teeth.
Now though, there is a relatively new option that is becoming more popular across every user. These are invisible aligners or retainers. As mentioned before, the wires on braces are actually quite visible since it is made of metal. There is nothing that you can do to hide all of it. Smiling less is not entirely an option as well as not speaking at all. People become more conscious about the braces and it turns to shame and low confidence. With products like Invisalign, this is not the case anymore. Click here to learn more: http://www.thedentalroom.com.au.
Facts about invisible aligners
- Removable for a short period of time. One of the biggest advantages of these aligners is that you can remove them for a short period of time. There is a time allotted for it though so be very careful in following it. However, you can now eat almost anything without it getting stuck on your wired set of skeletal parts. You can also now drink the beverages that you love. It can be an exhilarating feeling that you can do almost anything and it will not affect the process of alignment.
- Duration of treatment will depend on age and case. For most cases, it would usually take at least two years for the whole process. You need to go back to your dentist every week to a month to change the aligners as this is why it can be removed. Less severe cases might take a little less, for as short as two to three months. This procedure though is not really recommended for children since their teeth are changing more frequently compared to the adults. However, you can still ask your dentist about other options for kids.
- Constant cleaning is really required. If you haven’t been brushing your teeth, then with invisible aligners you need to do it at least after every meal. This is really important since these things are made of clear plastic. If anything gets stuck, it is really quite visible and it can ruin the aligners. There are even cases that the aligner itself turned yellow because the user forgot to clean it as well before using. This can worsen bad breath and may lead to other conditions as well. Tooth decay will also be another problem that can be exacerbated by an uncleaned aligner.
- Straight teeth is good for overall dental health. Aligners are not just for vanity’s sake, even though many people believe that it is really just for beauty. One of the main problems that aligners solve is the gaps between the teeth. This is where all the bacteria from the food that we eat will stay if we don’t clean it often. Flossing can help, but you really need to be thorough about it as there are other particles that can be quite stubborn. Straight teeth also prevent the formation of plaque. It is also a great way to preserve your teeth until you are already old. What do you think is the secret of all those people who still have a complete set of teeth even when they are already 70? Having it might not be important to you now but it will be in the after years of life.
Helen Bradfield did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
