Not everyone is blessed with perfectly straight teeth, but there are few ways to minimise the need for corrective orthodontic treatment!
If you follow these simple rules, you’ll be doing yourself AND your smile a huge favour!
1. Never apply unnecessary pressure to your mouth!
Do you suck your thumb or your fingers? If you answered yes to either of these questions then you could be in a little trouble!
The habit of sucking your thumb, what most people don’t know that you’re applying inward pressure on your teeth!
What’s worse is that most people will switch from one side to the other, which means that you’re applying an inward pressure on both sides of your face, which creates movement in both sides of your mouth!
This nasty habit will result in teeth alignment treatment unless you quit it quick smart!
When children and adults suck their thumb, they’re putting pressure on the top front row and the bottom front row of teeth, which as we’ve learnt, creates unwanted movement in the mouth.
Not only is thumb-sucking going to result in orthodontic treatment, but also is extremely unhygienic and a habit that you can live without!
2. Be aware of what you put in your mouth
No, we’re not talking about a “you are what you eat” scenario; we’re talking about the unnecessary things that you may chew on during the day.
Pen lids, water bottle lids, anything of a hard, plastic material should NOT be going in your mouth!
Why? Because non-edible items that are made from a hard substance can damage, crack and sometimes move your teeth.
If you follow these simple rules, you’ll be doing yourself AND your smile a huge favour!
Chewing on hard candies such as Minties, toffees, Chupa-Chups and such foods also cause unwanted movement in your mouth due to the intense pressure that you put on your teeth when you eat them.
Avoiding hard foods like these and particularly plastic, non-edible goods will have you smiling a better smile in the long run!
3. Consult with your Orthodontist on the best way to ensure you can keep smiling your best smile!
Finally, if you’re worried about the alignment of your teeth in the long run, book an appointment with your orthodontist to discuss your options!
