DIGESTION AND THE BENEFITS OF CHEWING
Digestion is the process of food breakdown into small molecules and nutrients, so they can be absorbed and used as fuel for the functioning of our body. It consists of several steps along the digestive tract, starting in the mouth.
Chewing breaks food into smaller portions and expose them to saliva. Saliva has digestive enzymes, which start food breakdown in order to facilitate their digestion in the stomach.
Lack of proper chewing and eating too quickly can lead to digestive issues, since the ingested food is not prepared for the next step in the stomach. Thus, chewing plays an important role, facilitating digestion and improving the functioning of the whole digestive system.
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR BITE FOR DIGESTION
Optimal chewing requires a balanced bite, healthy teeth and jawbones. Bite problems, including missing teeth, misalignments, jaw joint dysfunction, ill-fitting restorations and pain can lead to improper, inefficient or uncomfortable chewing.
Thus, bite or dental problems can impair adequate chewing, causing food to be swallowed in bigger pieces. As a result, important nutrients can remain locked inside the food, making it more difficult for the body to process it. Oral problems can also lead to exclusion of foods that require more vigorous chewing from the diet.
Lack of adequate chewing can thus contribute to digestive issues, such as acid reflux, bloating, flatulence and cramping, as well as nutritional deficiencies, which can affect several bodily functions.
ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT CAN IMPROVE DIGESTIVE ISSUES
Teeth in the lower and upper jaws need to fit together properly to allow for effective chewing.
Misalignments, bad bite and missing teeth are among the most common oral health problems that can lead to digestive issues. Crooked teeth for instance can be difficult to clean; they can harbor certain bacteria that can cause gum disease and can affect the rest of the digestive system, since they travel down the system every time you swallow.
Missing teeth usually result in major shifts in the whole dentition, since adjacent and opposing teeth migrate into the space. A bad bite can develop as a result of missing teeth, as well as due to genetics or dental restorations.
BETTER BITE, BETTER DIGESTION THROUGH CLEAR ALIGNER THERAPY
With orthodontic treatment, it is possible to improve the bite through gentle movement of the teeth, correcting their positions and alignment. This not only results in a balanced, healthy bite, but also in better conditions for chewing, better digestive action, improve in headaches, jaw problems, back and neck pain. Did we mention that it also results in a pretty smile?
You do not need braces for that. Nowadays, transparent aligners can do what braces did and much more, in a more comfortable way. These plastic devices are removable and discrete.
Orthodontic treatment in adults is perfectly possible and one of the best investments in one’s health, considering the many benefits of a healthy bite and a good looking smile.
Optimize your digestion and your overall health through the correction of your bite.