There has been a lot of talk about how stress is linked to
chronic headaches, stomach problems, and emotional trepidation. What has
yet to be discussed is how stress can also affect your teeth and gums.
When you’re under psychological or physical stress, your body behaves
differently and has to set processes in action to offset the chemical
reactions stress produces. Your body functions experience disruption,
and you replace good habits with bad ones. It’s no wonder your oral
health can suffer, too.
What problems with my oral health could be the product of stress?
Canker sores
You’ve probably had them more than once. Tiny, white canker sores on
the inside of your cheeks are extremely painful. Most of the time these
are thought to be the product of small cuts inside your mouth, which
then become infected. However, in the absence of any wound, stress can
be the culprit. It weakens the immune system, and makes your mouth more
susceptible to bacteria (along with every other part of your body).
Luckily, these wounds aren’t contagious and usually disappear within a
week or two.
Cold sores
Feverish blisters appear on the lips when your immune system is
exposed to extreme levels of stress. Fortunately, there are loads of
products on the market to help these heal, and to help you deal with the
symptoms in the meantime. But few products are effective in preventing
breakout—for that, the best practice is to reduce your sources of
stress.
Teeth grinding
Uncontrolled, unconscious teeth grinding—both during the day and at
night—comes as no surprise when you are chronically stressed out. This
commonly leads to TMJ disorders, which lead to bigger problems with your
lower jaw joint. Consult with your dentist to see whether a custom
mouth guard or a more specific TMJ treatment is appropriate. And, yet
again, the best route of action is to reduce your source of stress.
Parodontopathy
Severe stress can also trigger accelerated production of cavities in
your mouth. And with infection and tooth decay, stress can also increase
the risk of gum disease and gum bleeding. All of these conditions
ultimately snowball into more problems. Recent studies show that the
likelihood of gum disease is two times higher in patients with
depression, for example. And while it’s not possible to immediately
eliminate stress or depression, your dentist can consult you on oral
health habits that give you the best chance at keeping your mouth
healthy.
Bad diet
You are what you eat, and stress determines what you eat. You’ve
probably noticed that you either eat considerably less or considerably
more when you’re stressed. You may have also noticed that you pay less
attention to what you eat. If sweets and junk food help you alleviate
your stress, bear in mind that they’ll have a negative effect on your
oral health.
Avoiding or forgetting oral hygiene
When you’re rushing through your day, trying to accomplish as much as
possible, to answer every e-mail and finish every task, it’s possible
that you’ll neglect your teeth. Don’t forget to brush and floss, there’s
no day where you can’t find two minutes for each! At bedtime, if you’re
so tired or stressed that you just want to curl up in your bed, make
the extra effort for a quick brush and you’ll be able to sleep knowing
you’re keeping your health front-of-mind.
If you think stress is a problem in your oral health, be sure to talk
to your dentist. And remember, every day is an opportunity to protect
and reinforce your oral health.
This post was originally published at Stress and Your Oral Health at
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