How Stress Can Impact Oral Health
Some stress in your life can be productive or motivating but when it becomes too much, your body will feel the effects. One area of your body where stress can take hold is in your mouth. While he isn’t a therapist, our Portage dentist, Dr. Paul can recommend various forms of treatment to improve your oral health during those stressful times.
Here’s what you need to know about the impact stress has on your teeth, jaws, and gums.
The Relationship Between Stress & Your Body
If you’ve ever been stressed over an upcoming deadline, family situation, or another thing entirely, you know the power it can have on your well-being. By this we’re referring to both the such as:
- Headaches
- Stomachaches
- Irritability or anger
- Anxiety
- Muscle tension or pain
- Fatigue
- Sleep disruption
- Diet changes
Most people, however, do not consider the when it comes to the jaws, teeth, and gums. Your oral health is just as important as your overall health so it’s key that you watch out for warning signs and aim to reduce your stress levels.
Depending on how exactly stress is impacting your oral health, Dr. Paul can recommend helpful procedures, dental appliances, or at-home coping tips. Do not hesitate to contact our Portage dental office if you have jaw issues, mouth pain, or an oral infection believed to be caused by stress.
If You’re Stressed, You May Experience:
1. Jaw Clenching
Whether you’re aware that you do it or it happens subconsciously, jaw clenching is a common oral condition brought on by stress. The jaw joint and chewing muscles can become sore and radiate pain as a result, often felt around the ear or face.
Though daytime clenching is annoying, you are conscious and thus have more control over curbing the habit. Clenching at night, on the other hand, is harder to stop unless you have a night guard in place. Dr. Paul can custom create a night guard for you to wear while sleeping so your upper and lower teeth do not meet.
2. TeethGrinding
Also treated with a night guard, excessive teeth grinding, or bruxism, can wreak havoc on your teeth if not stopped. If extreme enough, grinding can cause loose, broken, or cracked teeth. Wearing a custom-fitted night guard when you go to bed will help prevent tooth damage and cushion aching joint muscles.
For severely damaged or missing teeth, Dr. Paul will recommend restorative treatment options. Those can include dental crowns, dental implants, TMJ treatment, or tooth extractions. We want your smile to be at its healthiest so we will work with you to get you the care you need most.
3. Lack of Saliva (Dry Mouth)
You might not think about the saliva in your mouth much, but it plays a key role in your oral health. Saliva helps to remove leftover food from teeth, keep teeth moist, remineralize enamel, and fight off harmful bacteria.
When you’re stressed, the amount of saliva in your mouth can decrease resulting in a condition known as dry mouth. This reduced saliva production puts you at risk for more plaque buildup and the development of oral issues like tooth decay and gum disease.
In addition to reducing your stress levels outside of the dental office, Dr. Paul can recommend prescription or over-the-counter mouth rinses, artificial saliva or moisturizers, and fluoride trays.
4. The Development of Gum Disease or Infection
Because stress can influence the performance of your immune system, it can be hard for your body to properly fight off infections. Of course, neglecting your oral hygiene can exacerbate the problem and make an infection in the gums even more likely.
If our dentist finds that you have gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, it is reversible. A professional teeth cleaning and consistent oral care at home will improve your condition and return your gums back to normal. Unfortunately, once your infection progresses into later stage periodontitis, it can no longer be reversed and only managed.
Avoid this fate by practicing stress management at home and brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Remember to also floss in between teeth at least once daily to remove food particles left behind after meals.
Make an Appointment with Dr. Paul
Be kind to your mouth and your body as a whole by limiting your stress levels. Our dentist in Portage, MI, can work with you to determine what dental procedures will help you most and keep your teeth, jaws, and gums in good shape. Call Courtside Dental at (269) 327-1011 to request an appointment today.
This blog post has been updated.