How Stress May Affect Your Smile
Dealing With Stress? Explore How Anxiety and Oral Health Are Connected
Living a busy lifestyle can lead to stress and anxiety that just feel like a normal part of life. By now, you most likely know about the impact increased stress has on your body and mind. But, many people are unaware of how stress could be destroying their oral health.
Our caring staff at Jutkowitz Periodontics & Implantology believes in the importance of whole-person wellness. This is why we want you to understand how your mental health can impact your smile in more ways than making it fade.
Waking Up Clenching Your Jaw or Grinding Your Teeth
One of the first signs of stress that we tend to see in our patients is bruxism, or tooth grinding. This oral health habit usually happens while you sleep, and you might not know you do it until these signs appear:
- Worn enamel on the biting surfaces of teeth
- Pain in your jaw or TMJ symptoms
- Headaches and facial soreness
Let us know if you wake up with a sore jaw or teeth that are sensitive when you eat breakfast in the morning. We can check your bite for signs of teeth grinding.
Having Gum Disease or Inflammation
If you’ve ever gotten sick after a stressful time, then you already know how mental strain can weaken your immune system. Once it does, your body may struggle to ward off infections in your mouth.
An increased risk of gingivitis or periodontitis can lead to these symptoms of gum disease:
- Movement in your teeth
- Your gums receding
- Bleeding gums
Current research also shows that stress can increase inflammation, which can worsen your existing gum disease or cause you to develop a new case.
Noticing More Symptoms of Dry Mouth
Dealing with a dry mouth is more than just uncomfortable. Your mouth needs saliva to wash away food debris and neutralize acids. Without it, your mouth becomes vulnerable to these oral health issues.
- Bad breath
- Bacterial overgrowth
- Cavities
Skipping Your Oral Hygiene Routine
Being stressed out might tempt you to move your oral health routine to the bottom part of your priority list. Canceling a dental appointment might seem like it’s the best way to address an overpacked schedule, but it could lead to more future visits.
As you work on managing stress, you can use these ideas to stay on track with your oral hygiene routine.
- Prioritize your daily brushing and flossing habits
- Ask us for a custom night guard for grinding teeth
- Drink more water to stop dry mouth
- Limit sugary snacks
- Continue seeing our dentist for routine care
If you’re worried about the effects of stress on your oral health, then let us know. At Jutkowitz Periodontics & Implantology, our goal is to keep your smile bright no matter what happens in life.
