What are the Signs of a Healthy Bite?

 


First things first, you might be wondering what exactly does a bite mean? In the world of dentistry, a bite refers to the way your lower and upper jaw come together. The alignment of the bite is also referred to as an ‘occlusion.’ A healthy bite can be defined as the bite where upper teeth fit slightly over the lower teeth and the points of the molars fit the grooves of the opposite molar.

If your jaw lines up like this, you probably have a healthy bite. If not, then you might want to consider visiting a Carlsbad Orthodontist. A healthy bite is crucial for optimum functioning of the teeth. If your bite is misaligned, then it can pressurize a certain tooth and wear them down. A healthy bite is also important for chewing, breathing, facial symmetry, digestion and more.

Whether you are a parent worried about your child’s bite or an adult who is simply concerned about whether they have a healthy bite, you can make an appointment with an Orthodontist in Carlsbad. After a check-up and some X-rays, you will know for sure if you need to undergo any procedures or whether you have a healthy bite.

4 Indicators of a Healthy Bite

A healthy bite is thus crucial for the overall health of a person. While only an expert can determine with confidence whether you or your child has a healthy or an unhealthy bite, there are certain signs that you should keep an eye out for determining if you have a healthy bite or you require treatment. The following are the signs of a healthy bite:

Breath

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is one of the simplest indicators for dentists to detect. When you have a good oral hygiene routine that is inclusive of brushing twice a day and flossing, you will most definitely have normal or good breath. Good breath is an indirect sign of a good bite but also an extremely important sign of good oral hygiene.

Tongue

Another indicator of an unhealthy bite are cuts on the sides of the tongue. A misaligned bite is likely to cause cuts on the tongue which can lead to open sores that might become infected. If there are no signs of cuts or infections on your tongue, it is highly likely that you have a healthy bite. 

Pain

In case you are experiencing pain in the jawbone or muscles of the jaw when you bite, it might be a sign of misalignment. However, other habits such as night-time teeth grinding or sore gums can also cause pain. Visiting a kids dentist in Carlsbad is likely to give you the right clarity of what exactly is the cause of pain.

Teeth

If your upper and lower teeth do not put pressure on each other, then it’s one of the clear signs of a healthy bite. Teeth are designed to offset each other’s force. Chewing and biting food can be damaging, so if your teeth are misaligned, the force will end up being applied on the jaws or the teeth instead of the food itself. This can even cause serious issues such as jawbone atrophy. This is why teeth alignment is not just for cosmetic purposes but also to avoid bigger issues.

What is Malocclusion?

As mentioned earlier, occlusion is the alignment of your teeth. Thus, malocclusion means that your teeth are misaligned. Malocclusion can be caused by several factors such as heredity, the difference in upper and lower jaw sizes, lost teeth, cleft palate, dentistry issues and even thumb-sucking habits as a child.

There are three types of malocclusions – class 1 is when upper teeth are slightly overlapping lower teeth, class 2 is when the upper jaw and upper teeth overlap lower jaw and teeth, also known as an overbite and class 3 is when lower jaw and teeth are overlapping upper jaw and upper teeth viz an underbite.

Every time you visit the dentist, they ensure that there are no chances of malocclusion occurring. In case you feel that your child might be developing either of these you can make an appointment for a check-up at the Pediatric Dentistry in Carlsbad.

Also Read: 5 Reasons Why You Need to get Your Bad Bite Treated Immediately

Conclusion

In order to avoid malocclusion, it is important to keep an eye out on the indicators of misalignment mentioned above. However, remember to schedule regular appointments with your dentists because there are certain symptoms that only an expert can identify. 

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