How the Space Between Your Teeth Affects Your Dental Health

It may be difficult to imagine the spaces between our teeth having an impact on our overall dental health. After all, it’s just a tiny gap or it’s just slight crowding, right? Well, you may be surprised to learn that these small gaps or tiny crowding issues can vastly affect your oral health, due to a variety of reasons. Let’s discuss how the space between your teeth affects your dental health and look for some ways to fix these issues.

The Problem With Too Much Space

Too much space between the teeth, or gaps between the teeth, is usually caused by the jaw being abnormally large. This issue can also be a result of the teeth being smaller than usual. No matter the cause, having too much space between the teeth can cause problems if not corrected. Gaps in the teeth allow for food to become stuck, and this can cause gingivitis. You may not think bacteria could thrive in this open environment, but exposed gums are a perfect place for bacteria to grow and become a nuisance. Ultimately, this can result in tooth decay, so addressing the gaps between the teeth is crucial to overall dental health.

The Problem With Too Little Space

Not having enough space between the teeth is also a problem. Crowding issues can result in improper care of the teeth. Not being able to maintain proper oral hygiene can cause a host of bacteria to grow and multiply in these tight spaces, and due to the inability to properly clean between the teeth, plaque can form and can lead to:

• Tooth decay
• Gingivitis
• Bad breath
• Cavities

Also, due to the improper spacing between the teeth, chances are the top teeth and the bottom teeth don’t line up properly. This can cause problems with eating and discomfort, as well as digestive issues, since food is not being chewed correctly, thus affecting how it is broken down into the body.

Solutions to Spacing Problems

It’s important to see an orthodontist to discuss your treatment options when experiencing too much or too little space between the teeth. A trained professional can evaluate the severity of your issue and design a plan that will fix the spacing issues and prevent serious problems from occurring later on. Getting a game plan together and knowing your next steps when it comes to correcting these issues is a step in the right direction.

Spacing Issues Can Be Serious

You may not think too much or too little space between your teeth could do much harm, but it can. Speak with an orthodontist about treatment options that can open or close the gaps and leave you with a beautiful, healthy smile.