As parents, our main goal is always the health, security, and happiness of our children. From disease and crime to harmful images displayed through print, broadcast, and social media, there is a lot for parents to worry about corrupting their children.
One part of our children’s life that may be easy to overlook is the health of their teeth. While regular dental check-ups and cleanings are necessary, the straightness of their teeth may matter just as much. As all of their baby teeth fall out, new teeth begin to grow in their place, but they don’t always come in straight. Braces have been used for decades as a way to correct a crooked smile, and the method is still thriving today.
While braces will eventually improve the way your child looks, it can also have major health and social life benefits, to improve overall quality of life. Here are a couple of ways that getting braces for your child can help them live a fuller, healthier life.
Health Benefits:
The first real health benefit of having a straight set of teeth is that it creates a better environment for dental hygiene. Crooked or misaligned teeth can lead to a higher risk of oral disease, and bite issues that can lead to buildup of food and bacteria in hard to brush places; bacteria and plaque are the biggest causes of gum disease.
Braces can also help protect teeth from natural wear and tear, as well as outside factors. Misaligned teeth can create irregular bite patterns, which put more stress on your teeth over time. This can cause your smile to break down faster than normal, and can lead to individual teeth or entire sets needing to be replaced. Additionally, protruding teeth are more susceptible to being hit by things that exist outside of the body, especially during a sporting event, for example.
Finally, getting your child braces can help improve eating issues that may have adverse effects on them. Without straight teeth your child may have difficulty biting or chewing food, which can lead to major digestive issues and nutrition issues. A straighter smile can help alleviate some of those problems.
Social Benefits:
Of course, there are also social benefits to having a straighter smile. The majority of those that purchase braces due so because they are unhappy with the way their teeth look, having straight teeth can bring a major boost to self-esteem. For your child, this could be especially important during middle and high school, which prove to be some of the toughest times in your child’s social life.
Those who do not think they have a nice smile might be less willing to smile, to talk to new people, or participate in social situations, in general. A smile can be the difference between making new friends and experiencing many opportunities, and not being open to life or not wanting to participate in the social aspects of it.
Finally, going just beyond having a nice smile, braces can bring the jaws and face in line by straightening your child’s teeth. If having a crooked smile can be traumatizing for a middle schooler, having a perceived facial deformity would be much, much worse.
Overall, braces will improve your child’s overall quality of life. The health benefits are significant enough for the investment to be worth it, and having straight teeth can be a source of pride, and self-esteem for the rest of their life.
