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Health Topics
Your Child and Braces
Does It Really Matter if My Child Has a Few Crooked Teeth?
Not surprisingly,
people who have had braces feel better about their appearance. But orthodontic
treatment does more than straighten teeth; it also prevents other oral
and general health problems.
Straight teeth are easier to maintain and
therefore less vulnerable to tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss.
Orthodontics can correct speech
and swallowing difficulties. Untreated problems may lead to abnormal
wear of teeth or put stress on the gum tissue and bones that support
the teeth.
There are other health issues to consider as well. Stomach
problems can develop when dental irregularities are ignored because
food
that has
not been properly chewed enters the digestive tract and irritates
the stomach. Jaw irregularities can lead to headaches and pain in the
face
or
neck. When the upper jaw is too narrow, the roof of the mouth can
move up to partially block the nasal passages, resulting in problems breathing through your nose, sleep apnea
and snoring.
Interestingly, papers published in the Journal of the American
Dental Association and the British Medical Journal show that people
who have received
orthodontic treatment also have a statistically lower risk of heart
disease, stroke
and premature death. (Orthodontics generally lowers the risk of
the types of oral conditions that are more strongly associated with systemic
disease
than cholesterol or smoking!)
Last updated May 2004
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