How does stress affect your oral health?

Do you suffer from stress? Whether it’s office politics, toddler tantrums, or a late bill notice in the post, there are lots of things that can cause stress.

Unfortunately, stress can have a damaging effect on your health. And that’s not just your physical and mental health, but your dental health too.

In this month’s post, we’ll discuss some of the effects that stress can have on your mouth and teeth. So if you suffer from stress, then don’t worry – we’ll show you some ways to mitigate its effects on your oral health.

Teeth grinding

Teeth grinding is a classic sign of stress. People who are under a lot of stress often show it by grinding their teeth at night, although some people also going to teeth during the day too.

Over time, when you grind your teeth a lot, it can wear down your enamel and lead to problems such as teeth sensitivity. Eventually, you might even need to get extensive work done to fix the damage.

It goes without saying then that teeth grinding is something to avoid. But what can you do about it? Well, the main solution is to wear a mouthguard at night. In fact, a mouthguard is a very effective way of preventing any damage to your enamel. If you feel like you could benefit from a mouth guard, then simply speak to your dentist.

Mouth sores

Did you know that you’re more likely to get mouth sores when you’re stressed? Mouth sores are small spots in your mouth that have a white centre and a red ring around them. Fortunately, they’re nothing to worry about and they often go away on their own.

Failing to take care of your teeth properly

Prolonged stress can make you feel angry, depressed and upset. When people feel like this, they no longer care as much about taking care of themselves, and this can include taking care of their teeth.

However, it’s important to brush your teeth twice a day to keep your teeth clean and healthy. Failing to do this can lead to problems such as cavities and gum disease.

So if you’re feeling stressed, do remember the importance of sticking to an oral hygiene routine. If you don’t, then it could lead to dental problems later on.

Eating unhealthy foods

Another common thing people do when they’re stressed is to turn to junk food as a source of comfort. Unfortunately, however, a lot of junk food is high in sugar and of course, sugar is bad for your teeth. So be careful as a diet high in sugary foods can easily cause cavities. Make sure to stick to foods low in sugar instead.

Conclusion

Stress can have lots of detrimental effects on your oral health. Fortunately, there’s a solution for most of them. By giving yourself a bit of TLC, you can help to eliminate most of the effects of stress on your teeth.

If you’d like to talk to a dentist about any of the topics we’ve covered today, then please don’t hesitate to make an appointment by calling one of our friendly receptionists.