Stress & Oral Health: How They’re Connected
Naturally, because life is life, stress happens. Sometimes it can help you get through an important project and other times, it can derail you by causing both mental and physical roadblocks. Our Ann Arbor, MI, dentists are here to help when stress is negatively affecting your jaw, teeth, and gums.
Here’s an overview of the toll stress can take on the body and more specifically, on your smile.
Side Effects of Stress
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, our dentists can recommend helpful procedures, dental appliances, or at-home coping tips. Do not hesitate to contact our Ann Arbor, MI, dental office if you have jaw issues, mouth pain, or a tooth infection believed to be caused by stress.
Stress Often Affects the Mouth in the Form Of:
1. Intense 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.
Read More → Signs You May Need a Night Guard
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. Our dentists can custom create a for you to wear while sleeping so your upper and lower teeth do not meet.
2. Teeth Grinding During the Day or Night
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.
Learn More → Sensitive Teeth: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
For severely damaged or missing teeth, our dentists 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. Uncomfortable Dryness
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 . 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, our dentists can recommend prescription or over-the-counter mouth rinses, artificial saliva or moisturizers, and fluoride trays.
4. Advanced 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 dentists find 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.
Commit to Less Stress for Your Health
Our dentists in Ann Arbor, MI, get it. Sometimes stress is everywhere and hard to control even if you want to limit its presence. We can still help you (and your smile) stay protected as you work through the stressors in your life. Call Liberty Dental today at (734) 994-0909 to request an appointment.
This blog post has been updated.