Perfectly white, straight teeth help thousands of people get jobs, sales and even significant others every single day. Unfortunately, most of those beautiful smiles don’t come naturally. Braces, retainers and even headgear have helped millions of smiles shine. Of course, most smiles have to be corrected because of several bad habits that make even the best pearly white teeth crooked.
Grinding
According to Dentistry Plus, emergency dental in Toronto, one of the most common bad habits that result in crooked teeth is teeth grinding. Commonly called bruxism, teeth grinding is often triggered by stressful events like job loss, impending bills, or child care. Unfortunately, bruxism causes slight shifts in how our teeth align, especially if grinding occurs over the long term. Known as night grinding, sleep bruxism is common and exerts an incredible amount of pressure on teeth because it often occurs for over five hours every night. Luckily, night guards and relaxation techniques help thousands overcome bruxism.
Oral Piercings
While piercings are often seen as rebellious, counter-culture, and oftentimes cool, oral piercings are the most common cause of chipped teeth and contribute to crooked smiles as well. The most dangerous oral piercing is the dreaded tongue stud. The tongue stud is a thin metal bulb that causes incredible damage to teeth. It is typically a solid stainless steel rod that rubs, smashes and grinds against almost every tooth in the mouth every hour of every day. Obviously, oral piercings like the tongue stud and the lip ring can change how a person bites, talks, and eats. This can result in shifting, crooked teeth over time.
Thumb Sucking
While not as common as other causes of crooked teeth, thumb sucking does occur in adults. Unfortunately, this comfort-giving sensation is terrible for straight smiles. The forces exerted during chronic thumb sucking pull teeth forward and out of alignment, often permanently.
Excessive Chewing
Excessive chewing, specifically of chewing gum, can be a cause of crooked teeth as well. When the muscles used in chewing are overused, they become shorter and tighter. This results in a condition called TMJ. TMJ causes numbness and tingling pain in the muscles of the upper jaw, and the muscle imbalances in the jaw can then cause teeth to lean into each other over time.
While it is still best to avoid bad habits that contribute to crooked teeth such as bruxism, oral piercings, neglectful dental care, and thumb sucking, modern dental techniques have made fixing crooked teeth easier and faster than ever before.
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