Stress and Oral Health

Stress has been known to have negative impacts on many aspects of our health, but did you know that stress can impact your oral health too? Here are three oral health conditions that may arise from stress:

1) Teeth Grinding

Sometimes when we are stressed, we unknowingly clench our jaw, thus grinding our teeth. Clenching and grinding, also known as Bruxism, can cause damage to your teeth over time. Bruxism can also cause headaches and soreness in the jaw. Fret not however! If you think you suffer from bruxism, let your dentist know. A night guard or botox treatment could help treat your symptoms and prevent further damage to your teeth!

2) Gum Disease

Stress has been known to lower your immune system, thus increasing your risk for infection in the mouth, including gum disease. Keep up with your dental cleaning appointments, and if you notice any changes in your gums such as bleeding etc, be sure to let your dentist/hygienist know! Gum disease can lead to devastating damage such as the loss of teeth due to bone loss.

3) Tooth Decay

This point might seem a little obvious to some, but stress can increase your risk for tooth decay as well. Many times when people are stressed, they turn to comfort foods that are often sugary. Sometimes, people neglect their oral hygiene routine when they are stressed as it might not seem important at that point in time. Both of these factors combined can put you high at risk for tooth decay. No matter how stressed you are, always try to keep to your oral hygiene routine to prevent decay!