If you’ve noticed irregularities in the positioning of your teeth when biting down, you may be wondering why your teeth are seemingly shifting. While it’s incredibly common for most people to experience a small degree of teeth movement over the course of their lives, dramatic shifts in tooth alignment should definitely be inspected by your dentist. Below, we detail the many reasons as to why teeth commonly shift over time, and what steps your dentist can take to correct your bite.
Why Teeth Shift Positions
Braces are an incredibly popular method, generally with children and teens, to help teeth and jawbones correctly form over time. It is true that our jaws and overall bite form quickly during the first twenty years of life, however, teeth still tend to shift over the course of our entire lives. This may happen for a variety of reasons, although below we list the most common explanations of why teeth may shift over time:
- Old Age: Jaw bones generally shrink and lose density as one ages. Over time, jaws can become mismatched in a process that results in teeth to slowly collapse against one another. While more common in women than men, the mouth becomes too crowded during this process which forces the teeth to shift.
- Tooth Loss: For those who’ve lost a tooth, the surrounding teeth may move into that empty space. This results in changes to your bite and teeth shifts.
- Gum Disease: Inflammation and infections of the gums leads to less support for your teeth, which can cause them to change positions over time.
- Genetics: Our DNA can play a significant role in the alignment of our teeth.
- Teeth Grinding: Also labeled as bruxism, clenching and grinding your teeth can lead to dramatic shifts in your bite over time.
Methods to Correct Shifting Teeth
A shifting smile can be uncomfortable, unsightly, and can even impact your speech. Over time, if uncorrected, shifting teeth can also lead to a host of oral health issues such as tooth decay, cavities, tooth loss, and significant pain. Whether you’re wanting to correct your smile or purely want to prevent your teeth from shifting any further, there are several methods to correcting your shifting teeth, such as:
- Focus on Your Oral Health: As previously stated, gum disease can be one of the main instigators of shifting teeth. To prevent further movement, you need strong supportive gums that’ll keep your teeth in their correct places. Be sure to floss your teeth with GumChucks and brush them twice a day to ensure optimal oral health.
- Wear a Mouthguard or a Retainer: As popular as braces are, teeth tend to shift back to their original undesirable places typically after braces are removed. Make sure to wear a retainer to prevent your teeth from shifting again. Additionally, try wearing a mouthguard while sleeping so that you don’t clench your jaw.
- Dental Work: Visiting your dentist is important to figuring out what has caused your teeth to shift. Gum disease procedures, dental implants, braces, Invisalign, and much more are all possible dental approaches when it comes to fixing your bite.
Practice Optimal Oral Care with GumChucks
As we’ve gone over, the best way to address shifting teeth is by focusing on optimal oral health. It’s important to gently floss and brush your teeth twice a day as well as regularly visit your dentist for cleanings and oral exams.
Flossing and brushing twice a day is essential to preventing cavities and eliminating the opportunity for shifting teeth. Flossing is the only way to remove plaque from between your teeth, flossing regularly also helps keep tartar out of hard-to-reach places. GumChucks’ design ensures a flossing experience that’s faster, easier, and more effective than competing flossers or traditional floss. Our two handles with disposable floss allows you to comfortably reach all your teeth, even those in the back while wrapping the floss around each tooth. This creates the vital “C-Shape” necessary to get below the gum line and effectively clean each tooth.
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Refill Pack (30 tips) • Bundle of 50 packs$150.00
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Starter Samples (handles + 10 tips) • Bundle of 50 packs$64.50
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Subscription: GumChucks Flossing Tip RefillsFrom: $5.19 / year
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