23 Sep How Stress Affects Your Dental Health
Stress can have all sorts of negative effects on your dental health. You might become so stressed out that you neglect good habits like brushing your teeth twice a day. Another possibility is developing an unconscious, stress-related habit like biting your fingernails or grinding your teeth. Stress can also make you more vulnerable to oral infections, and make inflammatory conditions like gum disease worse.
As a holistic dental practice, we want our patients to be aware of these mind-body connections. Let’s take a look at how stress and dental health are related, and what you can do to reduce stress and prevent some of its negative side effects.
Stress and Dental Health: What Is the Connection?
Unfortunately, stress is a very real and very common problem in today’s society. In fact, more than 50% of Americans suffer from chronic stress. This constant psychological strain can cause everything from poor sleep to physical fatigue, disrupting every aspect of daily life.
Stress makes it difficult for many people to take an interest in their own self-care. They’re simply too busy or too distracted to do things like eat healthy meals, drink enough water, and brush and floss their teeth every night before they go to sleep. Because of this, their oral health starts to suffer.
Stress, Inflammation, and Gum Disease
Four out of every ten adults over 30 have some form of gum disease, and it could be partially due to stress. Gum disease starts out as gingivitis, characterized by swollen, inflamed (and sometimes bleeding) gums. As the disease progresses, chronic infections under the gums lead to tooth decay, bone loss, and tooth loss.
Since stress causes an inflammatory response, it will only make gum disease worse. Because stress also makes your body more vulnerable to infections, it’s harder to fight gum disease when you’re stressed. Seeing a dentist for regular cleanings and treatments will slow the progression of gum disease. However, you should ideally try to reduce the amount of stress you’re under.
We recognize this is easier said than done, so seek out a remedy of stress reduction that works for you. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation and luckily there are many options out there from progressive relaxation practices to lifting weights. (See below for more ideas.)
Stress and Teeth Grinding
Have you ever noticed yourself clenching your jaw when you’re stressed out? Bruxism, or teeth grinding, is one of the most detrimental side effects of stress. It can cause enamel erosion, tooth fractures, TMJ disorders, and more. Most people don’t even realize they’re doing it, because it happens at night while they’re asleep.
If you’re frequently waking up with a headache or a sore jaw, it might be because you’re grinding your teeth at night. Wearing a mouth guard while you sleep will help keep your jaw in a relaxed position. It also cushions your teeth against any involuntary clenching or grinding. Additionally, you can try rubbing your jaw muscles with a soothing massage oil that contains lavender, bergamot, or another stress-relieving essential oil. Be careful when using essential oils near your face.
How to Reduce Stress and Improve Your Dental Health
Stress relief looks different for everyone, so it’s important to find the techniques that work best for you. It isn’t always possible to eliminate the sources of stress in your life, but there are many ways to reduce its negative effects on your health and wellbeing. Many people relieve stress by participating in activities like:
- Playing with a pet
- Spending time in nature
- Getting daily exercise
- Making time for hobbies
- Getting more sleep
- Talking to a therapist
- Practicing meditation
No matter how stressed you feel, try to make brushing and flossing a priority. The state of your dental health is often a direct reflection of your physical and mental wellbeing. When you make time every day to take care of your teeth, it becomes easier to remember to do other things that are good for your body, like drinking more water and eating a healthy diet.
Holistic Dental Care in Prescott, Arizona
In one way or another, stress definitely takes a toll on your dental health. Finding ways to reduce stress and prioritizing self-care will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy. Visiting the dentist should never be a source of stress! At Prescott Dentistry, we provide comprehensive, holistic dental care in a calming, stress-free environment. Contact us to make an appointment today.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash used with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 9/04/2024.