Most of our patients know a thing or two about stress. Whether you’re dealing with chronic stress, or a brief stressful life circumstance, we all encounter it from time to time. Most people associate stress with heart attacks or ulcers, but do you know how stress can affect your oral health?
Stress may negatively affect your oral health in indirect ways. For starters, stress can cause folks to reach for coping strategies that aren’t so good for your teeth (or the rest of your body). Junk food, sweets, cigarettes, or alcohol are just a few examples. When these substances interact with your teeth, they can do a lot of damage in the way of gum disease and tooth decay.
Secondly, when we are stressed, we tend to stop making positive health behaviors a priority. Let’s say you’re in the hospital after a car accident; your brushing and flossing routine will not be forefront on your mind. Even a minor bout of stress from a tough day can have us reaching for our cozy bed and some relieve instead of taking the time to brush first.
And of course, keeping up with routine dental visits may fall completely off our priority list while under stress. This can prevent us from finding the early signs of decay and can cause more pain and stress later on.
How does stress affect our mouths directly?
A lot of people grind their teeth as a physical way to deal with stress. For many, this is a habit that they have developed and may now be doing without even realizing it! Although, clenching or grinding occurs a lot during normal interactions (An exciting TV show, a meeting, homework time with the kids, etc.), clenching or grinding occurs most often while people sleep. Ask a partner or someone who knows you well to tell you if you have this habit.
At Las Vegas Dentistry we offer a couple of different options to protect your teeth if you clench or grind. One of the best options to minimize clenching or grinding is a night guard. Dr. Dhesi has an informative video here about the benefits of night guards.
Also, when we are stressed we have higher levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, that put our body in a “flight or fight” state. This causes our blood pressure and blood sugar to increase, and our digestive and immune function to decrease. When our immune system isn’t functioning as it should, this can make periodontal disease more likely. It can also slow down the healing of other oral issues or injuries we may have.
What can you do about it?
The best thing you can do to prevent the stress of oral health issues is to maintain good dental hygiene and visit us regularly for routine visits. We want what’s best for you — and that includes a healthy mouth for a lifetime! Call us today 702-870-3818 or click on request an appointment at the top of this page.
