Old age brings not only more time and freedom but also a variety of health concerns and risks. Oral and dental health is no exception. What is important for seniors to know about dental health and dental services?

Inevitable changes

With age, the human body becomes increasingly more vulnerable to various health risks and complications. Unfortunately, teeth are still one of the most neglected areas of the body. It is extremely important to remind seniors that dental care is an equally important part of their health routine.

Aging causes the following changes in the oral mucosa and teeth:

• Dental discolouration, appearance of dark spots. Colour changes are caused by the consumption of staining foods and natural changes in the dentine, i.e. the hard tissue of the tooth.
• Increased tooth sensitivity and fragility.
• Dry mouth caused by slowed saliva circulation. This change is most often caused by medication or specific diseases.
• Diminished sense of taste due to changes in the receptors.
• Tooth decay caused by acids, sugars and carbohydrates. The body’s overall resistance weakens, causing the enamel to deteriorate more quickly.
• Gum diseases, which not only damage the soft tissues of the mouth but also destroy bone, causing tooth decay.
• Tooth loss, which is accelerated by tooth decay, gum disease and other factors.

The solution is always there

Although there is no 100% guarantee against the deterioration of teeth over time, senior people can ensure effective protection against dental disease and rapid diagnosis. How? It is actually pretty simple:

Regular dental care. Sounds obvious? Not really. Hygiene skills can get worse with age. This is sometimes due to other conditions (like arthritis, which affects the joints and makes it harder to move around). Therefore, reminding older relatives about the importance of oral hygiene can significantly prolong the comfort of their teeth and mouth. Teeth should be brushed with a toothbrush and dental floss at least twice a day; the mouth should be rinsed with an antibacterial mouthwash at least once a day.

Regular visits to the dentist. To protect teeth from decay and other diseases as effectively as possible, thorough brushing at home is not enough. Seniors should visit the dentist regularly (if they do not have any dental or oral diseases, it is recommended to have a check-up at least twice a year). If a problem is detected in time, treatment can be started immediate and healthy teeth can be protected.

Health is a precious asset that must be cherished regardless of age. By taking care of their teeth regularly, seniors will be able to enjoy their well-deserved rest without stress.

One in four people experience unpleasant mouth odour, but is one in four people aware of this? In fact, this problem is not so obvious as people do not want to appear rude and do not advise taking action and consulting a doctor. We are discussing the causes of bad breath and ways to solve this issue with specialists the Prosthetics and Implantology Clinic (PIK): Dental Hygienist Jolanta Ruzgienė, Dentist-Endodontist Sandra Skuodaitė and Dentist-Orthopaedic Surgeon Raimondas Savickas.

Causes of bad breath

Bad breath (halitosis) is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of oral diseases and other health problems. There are many reasons for unpleasant odour, but Dental Hygienist Jolanta Ruzgienė identifies poor oral hygiene and dental disease as the main causes: “If teeth are not brushed properly or regularly, food residues remain in the mouth promoting the growth of bacteria and increasing the accumulation of plaque on the teeth, gums and tongue. Plaque build-up on the tongue can cause bad breath and taste disorders. In addition, poor oral hygiene causes dental and gum diseases which lead to bad breath.” Dentist-Endodontist Sandra Skuodaitė agrees that bad breath does not bother healthy people with proper individual oral hygiene and a regular dietary regime. “90% of bad breath is caused by dental and gum diseases, and the other 10% is caused by health problems. The disease can be diagnosed during the initial examination and a treatment plan can be discussed with the patient,” says the doctor.

Bad breath: is it possible to get rid of it by yourself?

When people notice bad breath, they reach for mint pastilles, chewing gum or mouthwash. Unfortunately, these products only help to suppress the symptoms but do not solve the problem, according to a press release. Doctor Raimondas Savickas adds that bad breath can also be temporary if it is caused by external factors: certain foods, drinks, medications, use of hormonal medications, smoking, or simply a dry mouth at night due to reduced saliva production (physiological halitosis) and the inability to wash away the products of bacterial activity. In this case, the problem can be solved with oral hygiene products. However, if the problem is caused by other factors, dental treatment is necessary.

Dental solutions for bad breath

Dentist-Endodontist at PIK Sandra Skuodaitė informs us that bad breath is a serious reason to make an appointment with your dentist. If bad breath is caused by gingivitis, periodontitis, various types of oral mucosal ulcers, plaque on the tongue, teeth, dentures or orthodontic appliances, proper dental treatment or at least professional teeth cleaning is necessary. Doctor Raimondas Savickas explains what happens during halitosis treatment: “First of all, unpleasant mouth odour caused by dental issues is treated by reducing the amount of microorganisms. This can be achieved by cleaning the oral cavity mechanically or chemically. The most effective treatment methods are prescribed after assessing the individual situation. Professional teeth cleaning, periodontitis treatment, tooth decay treatment, replacement of old dentures or other measures may be necessary.” Dental Hygienist Jolanta Ruzgienė reassures that bad breath will disappear when the teeth are healthy: “Once periodontitis has been treated, the teeth cleaned and you have learned how to clean your mouth properly, the unpleasant smell will disappear on its own, without the use of any special odour-eliminating products.”

Raimondas Savickas, Implantologist at the Prosthetics and Implantology Clinic, warns that this problem should not be ignored. Ignoring the signals sent by the body can lead to complications and hinder the treatment process. Neglected dental diseases influence or provoke other diseases, increasing the risk of developing diabetes, heart and circulatory diseases. In addition, bad breath can be a symptom of diseases of the digestive system, respiratory system, liver, kidneys and other internal organs. It should be noted that unpleasant odours from the mouth also cause social problems: they can silently complicate close relationships or leave a bad impression on new acquaintances. If you are experiencing this problem, make an appointment with your dentist right away. After all, bad breath is not only bothersome to you, but also to those around you.

More than a year of the pandemic prevented people from getting quality medical care which led to an increase in all sorts of health issues. According to doctors, this had a particularly negative impact on dental health as dental clinics were among the last to reopen in Lithuania following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

According to dentists, staying at home for long periods of time led to a decline in regular hygiene habits and increased stress directly resulted in overworked chewing muscles and increased teeth sensitivity. How can you spot the first signs that you need to make an appointment with your dentist and what treatment should you choose to get your healthy smile back?

Lifestyle changes affected dental health

According to Agnė Jocienė, a dentist at Vilniaus Implantologijos Namai, the pandemic revealed a clear trend: before it, people would visit specialists not only because of pain but also because of the need for regular care, but after they were confined to their homes, many started neglecting their dental care. Naturally, she says, as lockdown restrictions eased, especially after the first wave, patients suffering from long-term toothache, broken teeth or problems with dentures flooded into dental clinics. “It was not just the lack of hygiene caused by the pandemic that had a negative impact. People started eating more fast food and foods high in sugar, and harmful habits became more prevalent. Not to mention the stress and anxiety we are still experiencing. The current consequences are therefore saddening: we see cases of severe toothache that can no longer be relieved with minimal intervention, exacerbated chronic inflammation leading to tooth extraction, and broken restorations that not only spoil the appearance but also cause pain when chewing. Poor hygiene has also led to the development of multiple cavities,” says the dentist, listing the most common complaints.

Stress is also considered a risk factor

A recent survey by the American Dental Association showed that tooth grinding has increased by 71% in the country due to the pandemic, with a 63% increase in broken or chipped teeth and a 62% increase in jaw and surrounding muscle movement. According to experts, stress caused by the COVID-19 virus undoubtedly contributed to these results. Dentist Agnė Jocienė also says that the latter factor has both a direct and indirect effect on the entire human body, including the condition of the teeth. “When we experience stress, we usually clench our teeth tightly causing severe muscle contractions and straining the ligaments which leads to increased tooth grinding and clenching. In such cases, patients complain of tooth sensitivity, sometimes even pain, crumbling tooth tissue, jaw stiffness and even headaches. In Lithuania, as in the rest of the world, stress has a negative impact on dental health,” notes a dentist at Vilniaus Implantologijos Namai.

When should one be concerned?

According to the dentist, the first signs that should not be ignored are:

• Progressive or prolonged tooth sensitivity,
• Spontaneous, difficult-to-relieve toothache,
• Discomfort when chewing,
• Food accumulating between the teeth.

One should also be concerned about the condition of their teeth and consult a specialist if they experience bleeding gums, spontaneous tooth crumbling, painful jaw movements or stiffness after a night’s sleep. If you wait too long, the doctor warns, you can expect complications, and tooth sensitivity can eventually lead to nerve inflammation, untreated root infections can cause pus, swelling, and even tooth loss. If teeth break and the problem is not addressed in time, much more extensive and expensive restorations may be required, and jaw joint problems can cause headaches.

Agnė Jocienė advises not to ignore discomfort and to make an appointment with a dentist in good time. According to her, it is advisable to register for dental treatment as soon as the first symptoms appear. “This service always begins with a conversation with the patient. We find out what they are complaining about and what their expectations are. Our duty as therapists is first to find and identify the source of the pain, then to ensure smooth, pain-free chewing and, if necessary, to solve aesthetic problems. In my opinion, therapeutic treatment begins with pain relief and restoration of function. However, for some people, a chipped front tooth is a much bigger problem than a decaying back tooth, so it is very important to listen to the patient and find a balance in their treatment plan,” notes the dentist.

According to statistics from various sources, the condition of teeth among Lithuanians is poor compared to other countries, with experts particularly highlighting problems among children. According to data from the Chamber of Dentists, the percentage of children with healthy teeth that are completely free of tooth decay remains similar: just 15 to 20 per cent. DELFI discussed the main dental problems and the condition of teeth in the Lithuanian population with Dentist Rūta Zykutė.

The most important thing is the patient’s awareness

According to the dentist, our body is not divided into separate compartments, and whatever is in the mouth affects the whole body. Oral hygiene is therefore extremely important and requires a great deal of attention.

“We need to raise awareness about it, talk about it a thousand times, do it in schools using information technology. Not only dentists but also general practitioners must constantly remind people about this problem. This is especially true for ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctors, who can see how many teeth are decayed when they look at the throat. After all, the bacterial background is common to all of us. When considering teeth, one cannot have such a narrow and exclusive approach. From the moment the patient walks through the door, the dentist must look at them holistically,” asserts Rūta Zykutė.

When discussing the development of proper habits, the specialist emphasises the importance of personal attitude. “To be honest, I think it’s just a matter of human awareness. If you accept the information, understand that it is valuable, and use it in your daily practice, teaching your children as well, then it can work and prove itself. But much of the information simply goes in one ear and out the other due to lack of time, certain excuses such as “my child won’t let me brush their teeth”. I don’t understand that. After all, children won’t let us dress them, but we don’t take them outside naked. It’s the same with teeth. Motivate your child, play with them, do everything you can to make it a routine, and it will be easier in the future,” says Rūta Zykutė.

Oral health begins in the womb

The dentist emphasises that it is time to start talking about oral health in a broader sense. Not just in terms of caries, decay or cavities, which, according to the specialist, are already the result of a major process that we have overlooked.

“Oral health begins when the baby is still in the womb. All the structures of the face and jaw are formed in the first trimester, and the sixth and twelfth weeks are very important for the development of these structures. If a woman has bacterial or viral infections, consumes nicotine or alcohol during this period or does not get certain nutrients, all of this has a huge impact,” says Rūta Zykutė. 

However, according to her, the formation process does not end when the baby is born. It is important to monitor the baby’s diet.

“Breastfeeding is recommended not only because of the beneficial properties of mother’s milk, but also because breastfeeding plays a role in the formation of the jaw. The breast adapts to the growing jaw every day. Baby bottle teats come in standard sizes and need to be replaced over time, while the breast gets bigger every day and encourages the jaw to grow. It has also been observed that children who were fed formula milk are more prone to harmful habits such as tongue thrusting, lip biting and sucking, thumb sucking and other habits,” says the dentist.

According to Rūta Zykutė, when solid foods appear in a child’s diet and bone structure begins to form, it is not advisable to stick to purees.

“You have to give your child a product as it really is. If it’s a carrot, then it should be a carrot so that the child can get to know what this product looks like, how it holds together, what its structure and hardness are. They begin to learn to chew and swallow properly, rather than in an infantile manner (with the breast between their teeth),” says the professional.

Harmful habits are acquired, not inherited

Although there is a widespread belief that many harmful habits are inherited, the expert is quick to dispel this myth.

“Of course, certain pathologies are inherited, but most are not. In my opinion, the main harmful habit is breathing through the mouth. A child should breathe through their nose, and if they cannot do so, there is something wrong with their nose, it is blocked. The airway must be cleared so that the child can breathe through the nose, and then the child will close their mouth,” says Rūta Zykutė, adding that in such cases, the open mouth should simply be closed and this should be done consistently.

“If a child sleeps with their mouth open, their tongue drops down so as not to obstruct the flow of air, their cheeks press against their jaws from the sides, forming an elongated face, the upper jaw narrows and the nose does not develop. Over time, the child gets used to breathing this way, and the air passage through the nose simply does not develop. Then you need to see an orthodontist,” says the dentist.

The specialist urges parents to visit an orthodontist and seek advice at the slightest sign that something is wrong. “It really doesn’t cost much. You need to observe, monitor and identify harmful habits. This is about monitoring your child as they grow up; we can’t just let them go,” urges Rūta Zykutė.

Do you grind your teeth? This is how your nervous system responds to stress

According to the specialist, teeth grinding is no longer considered a pathology.

“It is the body’s natural response to stress. This is how our nervous system heals itself when we sleep. Imagine what you do when you have a blood test. You clench your teeth, don’t you? This is a natural chemical process that occurs in the jaw, during which certain chemicals are released into the blood, causing spontaneous pain relief. By clenching our teeth, we naturally trigger painkillers in our body. The same thing happens at night: we get tired, our nervous system wears out. We don’t call it pain in the nervous system, but that’s what it is. Teeth grinding is a way of healing and calming it,” says Rūta Zykutė.

According to the dentist, it is not the grinding that should be emphasised but rather its causes and consequences, and consideration should be given to the ways to reduce them.

Do you notice blood when brushing your teeth? It may be time to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Dentist Rūta Zykutė explains why gums bleed, how often you should floss, and how to make it a regular habit.

Is dental floss an extra or a must?

“My advice is to definitely use dental floss or an interdental brush, because the spaces between your teeth are where bacteria build up the most. They multiply there because it’s a great place for them as it is warm and moist there,” explains the doctor.

According to her, going to bed without cleaning between your teeth with dental floss or a special brush is like going to bed without brushing your teeth at all. For this reason, Dentist Rūta Zykutė suggests doing yourself a favour and trying to make oral hygiene a habit. According to her, it only takes 21 days.

“In that time, both harmful and useful habits develop. After 21 days, a conditioned reflex forms and you don’t have to think about it or remember to do it. Once the habit has developed naturally, your subconscious will remind you,” says the dentist.

The dentist says that while visiting Scandinavia, she noticed that even very young children clean between their teeth with dental floss using their little fingers. Although this seems complicated, children, like adults, just need to develop a habit of doing this regularly. This would prevent other dental problems.

According to the dentist’s advice, a complete dental care routine should include brushing your teeth with a toothbrush for two to three minutes at least twice a day and cleaning between your teeth with dental floss or a special interdental brush.

Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?

When brushing our teeth or interdental spaces, we may notice that our gums are more sensitive and that we have dental problems if there is blood in our saliva. In most cases, bleeding definitely means that we are doing something wrong with our oral hygiene or have serious dental problems. According to doctor Rūta Zykutė, bleeding gums are the first sign that you need to see a dentist. She agrees that this may also be related to the incorrect use of dental floss.

“Perhaps your technique is wrong, you may have scratched your gums or you may be using it incorrectly, because the floss should be inserted between the teeth and wrapped around the tooth. Once you have wrapped it around the tooth, clean it, then move on to the next tooth and continue cleaning. But I have noticed that the cause is usually more serious.

Most likely, tartar, which is mineralised bacteria on the teeth has already formed. Tartar is bacteria that mineralises on the tooth and causes gum inflammation because it presses on the gums. The gums do not like being pressed against the tooth, so they swell, the blood vessels become more permeable and they start to press on the bone, which then begins to dissolve. When blood vessels become permeable (when the gums start to bleed), bacteria enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body,” explains the doctor.

According to the doctor, it is precisely because of these consequences that bleeding gums should be considered a warning sign for people with cardiovascular disease. She points out that as long as there is an infection in the mouth, patients find it more difficult to heal or may not even recover completely.

Toothpaste designed to reduce gum bleeding will not solve the problem

Dentist Rūta Zykutė also draws attention to the frequently advertised special toothpastes that are supposed to help stop gum bleeding. According to her, these toothpastes only remove the symptom of the problem that is visible to the naked eye. She still recommends consulting a specialist to stop gum bleeding.

“We recently discussed whole-body posture: the neck, shoulders, back, and lower body. We will continue with this topic, but this time we will focus on the posture of the head, jaw, and teeth,” said GP Valerijus Morozovas on the Delfi TV show “Sveiki! Su gydytoju V. Morozovu”. The doctor discussed this topic with dentist Rūta Zykutė-Želvė.

“In fact, all of your posture depends on the position of your teeth,” said Dentist Rūta Zykutė-Želvė.

“Are you saying that even when we stand on our feet, our posture does not depend on our feet, but on our mouth?”

“Yes. Just as our joints and our bite are positioned, so are our legs,” replied R. Zykutė-Želvė.

I have read that, at best, only one in five of us has a correct bite, and everyone else should take some kind of measures. Is that true? Are we all so flawed?

Actually, it is true. There are very few perfect bites. It is perhaps utopian to talk about a perfect bite; it would be better to talk about a near-perfect bite. Approximately 2 to 5 per cent of people in the world have a perfect or near-perfect bite. Everyone else has a more or less pathological bite.

When it comes to aesthetics, it’s clear: if your teeth are ugly or even uncomfortable to chew with, you see a specialist. But in reality, there are more clinical signs, aren’t there? How dangerous is an irregular bite?

First of all, an irregular bite is dangerous because it distorts the balance of the entire body. We are designed as living beings to be harmonious. And if we lose a tooth on one side, the body’s compensatory mechanism adjusts so that we chew on the other side. Over a long period of time, 10 to 15 years, we may experience consequences such as neck pain, even displacement of the first cervical vertebra, headaches and sleep apnoea.

Shortness of breath, palpitations, sweating. Could all this be because we don’t chew on one side?

Yes.

I myself have encountered headaches at work, none of the specialists can say anything: the ENT specialist sees nothing from his field of expertise, nor does the neurologist from his. Then we turn to dentists, they put a dental plate in, and the pain goes away, even though, in principle, the teeth are not decayed. Can pain like this also cause discomfort?

Of course, our only so-called temporomandibular joint in the upper jaw is affected through the teeth. It starts to wear out and function irregularly, and then we start to feel headaches, ringing in the ears, sometimes it is difficult to open the mouth, chew food, it hurts when chewing, etc.

How does the bite or position of the teeth affect snoring and how is this related to sleep apnoea, when breathing stops for a period of time during the night?

If a person has chewed incorrectly or breathed incorrectly throughout their life or if their tongue is in an incorrect position, they will experience the consequences you just mentioned: snoring and sleep apnoea. When the tongue is not in the correct position, i.e. in the palate, but is relaxed and falls back into the lower jaw and is pressing on the trachea, a person cannot breathe properly.

Are you saying that a proper bite is not just about the position of the teeth but also the position of the tongue?

Of course, it is not only the position of the teeth that matters. A proper bite is also determined by muscles, teeth, soft and hard tissues, joints, ligaments, nerves and blood circulation. It is a huge system in our body that allows us to chew food, perform phonetic functions and smile. If it malfunctions, many functions are disrupted: we can no longer smile or chew, and we cannot sleep peacefully.

And breathe.

Yes, and breathe.

Let’s talk about the causes. We are often inclined to blame someone or something. I often ask my interlocutors who is to blame, what is the source of these causes? Perhaps genetics is to blame for all these problems with the bite, and there is nothing we can do about it?

This is what patients usually do. It is very easy to dismiss the causes as genetics. “That’s my genetics, that’s my lot.” What is the cause? It all starts at birth. How a baby is born, how and what they are fed. In principle, babies should be breastfed to help them develop a normal jaw.

But that’s what happens. Up to six months, breastfeeding is strongly recommended and encouraged to continue for at least a year.

According to the latest data, children should be breastfed until the age of two along with supplementary foods and encouraged to develop their jaws. It is also recommended that children start chewing solid foods at six months of age rather than being given mashed foods as they will not know what to do with their jaws.
It is advisable to give them chopped boiled carrots and potatoes so that they can mash them with their toothless alveolar ridges. This will help them develop a chewing reflex. Then the swallowing reflex develops, and these sequences should not be mixed up. Usually, it happens like this: when a child is six months old, they are fed porridge, which is cooked, mashed and fed with a spoon. The child does not understand what they are eating.

Safety first, we don’t want them to choke.

Of course, safety is the most important thing, but the child has reflexes to prevent choking. Of course, you should make sure that the food is not too hard, difficult for the baby to chew or crush with the alveolar ridges. 

It’s logical: if you can’t bite and chew it, you can’t swallow it.

That’s right. Babies do the same thing. We start getting them used to normal chewing and swallowing reflexes, which usually develop around one year and eight months. Until then, the kid is just learning.

The longer you breastfeed, the better for the jaw and future teeth?

Of course. It is important to remember how our jaws should grow and in which direction. The lower jaw must grow horizontally, i.e. forward. For it to grow forward, it is necessary to make a movement and pull: take a piece of meat so that the child can bite, pull and direct the jaw horizontally. If this is not done, and the child also breathes through the mouth (one of the most harmful habits), how will the child’s jaw grow, and in what direction?

Downwards.

Yes, vertically. The child opens their mouth because they need to breathe through their mouth, and the jaw begins to grow vertically.

So, we have found two culprits. The first is mothers who feed their children incorrectly, and the second is a runny nose that prevents them from breathing through their nose.

In fact, it is not the runny nose that is to blame, because a runny nose comes and goes. The harmful habit is to blame, and it is unfortunate that we do not notice it. Everything must be done to keep the airway clear and to try to close the mouth. The first mistake mothers who breastfeed make is that they lay their babies down after feeding and they remain with their mouths open. You need to pick them up and close their mouths. The baby then closes their mouth, swallows their saliva and the tongue naturally falls into the correct position, i.e. on the palate.

What about pacifiers?

They are either a helpful tool in raising children or a harmful factor. In general, it is recommended to give up pacifiers if possible. If this is not possible, it is important to know exactly which pacifier to choose. It should be as similar as possible to the shape of a nipple and as wide as possible at the palate. The pacifier should not open the child’s mouth too wide and, as far as possible, it should press the tongue against the palate so that a wide palate can form. My recommendation is to give up pacifiers by the age of one. It is essential.

Summer is here, and lots of young people are walking around holding some kind of drink and sucking on a straw. Is this good or bad?

Very bad. Any kind of sucking or pulling through a straw or a hole is not a good way to drink. Even babies used to be fed from a small cup.

What is the difference between an older child sucking through a straw and a baby sucking at the breast?

Our task is to move the jaw horizontally forward. When we suck through a straw, we pull inward.

When milk teeth fall out, permanent teeth replace them. Pacifiers have no effect on permanent teeth.

Children lose their milk teeth at around the age of six. I really hope that there are no children in Lithuania who use pacifiers after the age of six. By the way, children are clever: when you take a pacifier away from them, they come up with other things to suck on, such as their thumb, tongue, cheek or lip. All these harmful habits also cause the child’s jaw to develop incorrectly, which will cause serious problems in the future. Our job as doctors is to inform, observe, notice and stop these harmful habits, replacing them with harmless ones.

In other words, burden mothers with yet another worry.

Basically, yes.

Another harmful habit is teeth grinding. It is often attributed to parasites, and general practitioners often blame stress. What is dentists’ approach to teeth grinding, especially when it comes to bite problems?

Why is it dangerous? We wear our teeth down too quickly. Tooth wear is a very natural physiological process. From the moment they erupt until we reach a respectable age, our teeth are supposed to wear down to a certain extent. Sometimes, the teeth of 30-year-olds are worn down to what they should look like at 80, which is already a pathology.

Another harmful, or perhaps useful, thing is chewing gum. Is chewing gum constantly good or bad for your bite?

You will not see a single advertisement that says you should chew gum constantly. The advertisement says to chew after a meal for about one to two minutes. That’s it. And only to regulate the pH of the mouth. Chewing gum stimulates saliva production. When we chew gum for a long time, it acquires a certain texture, structure and viscosity, and the muscles also begin to trick themselves: they start to pump and train. When you put regular food in your mouth, you are no longer able to recognise its consistency and how much force is needed to chew it. There is a chance that you will start chewing soft food with very strong and harmful movements. Everything should be eaten slowly, savouring it, without rushing, then there will be no injuries or other consequences.

As far as I understand, everyone should consult a specialist about their bite, at least as a preventive measure? Even if you are satisfied with its aesthetics and function?

My advice would be to start from the beginning. Don’t wait for consequences to appear, when the damage is already done, but do everything you can to avoid those consequences, start with the causes, know what they are, and know what to do to keep our children healthy. We definitely have the knowledge to ensure that our faces healthy, beautiful and regular.