Dental problems are not a new notion, but stress related dental problems can be a new concept to many. But, in the ancient society people were aware of this concept. As the society is evolving, new diseases are making its way into the human body and in this case too, I will tell you how our stressful lives takes a serious toll on not only our health, but our dental health too.
It affects the teeth, gums and oral structures leading to the following –
Canker Sores
These are commonly known as mouth ulcers, are greyish in color with red borders. It is very painful and affects most of the humans who are under too much of stress.
Clenching of the Jaw
Medically known as bruxism, this condition occurs when stress makes you grind or clench your teeth without your knowledge. This mainly takes place at night, while asleep and you will only realize it if your teeth appears flatter than it did before. It makes the teeth more sensitive leading to serious dental problems in the future.
Temporomandibular Joint disorder or TMJ
Due to stress, your temporomandibular joint or the joint that acts as the connection between the skull and the lower jaw gets affected. If you notice pain in moving your jaw up and down or sore jaw muscles then you may have TMJ.
Periodontal Disease
Due to prolonged stress, the stress hormone cortisol gets elevated and it leads to the weakening of the immune system of the body. As the immune system gets weak, the bacteria finds it easy to invade the mouth causing serious dental problems. Studies have shown that gingivitis and periodontitis (gum disease) are more common in people with stress than the others. Another research claims that among the womenfolk who were under rampant stress, signs of tooth decay were quite high in them.
Dry Mouth
This condition occurs when your mouth is dry all the time as the saliva glands fail to produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. This can occur due to certain medications that you maybe intaking for stress. Always remember that a dry mouth forms a suitable home for bacteria.
Tooth Decay
This is the most common impact of stress on an individual. Due to stress, people do not take care of their oral health. They skip brushing, flossing and even drinking plenty of water. This leads to tooth decay.
Taking Care of Oral Health is necessary
It is quite understandable that there must have been some serious issues which is the cause of your stress. But, that shouldn’t affect your oral health. Our body is very much interconnected and if a part gets affected, the impact can be seen in other parts too. So, you should be quite apprehensive about your oral health and must do the following regularly.
- Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss at least once a day
- Eat a healthy diet
- Drink plenty of water
- Try not be overstressed.
- Visit the dentist regularly.
If you follow these simple steps daily and try to keep yourself at a safe distance from stress, then you can save yourself from losing your teeth. If you are experiencing any of the above mentioned dental problems, then you are under serious stress and I would suggest you to visit your dentist as soon as possible. Dental care should be a priority even if you are too busy.
