How Stress Affects Teeth

Looking for information on how stress affects teeth? Stress is something definitely to be avoided as it can lead to your experiencing many types of oral health problems. It also creates problems with your overall general health. According to the American Psychological Association, the longer stress lasts the worse it is for both the mind and the body. This means if you have been undergoing a lot of stress for a long time, it is going to take a toll on your health. It may be difficult for you to pay attention to your oral health care while undergoing stress. Thus, maybe by improving your understanding of how stress affects your teeth will help you take better care of your oral health.

How does stress affect teeth?

There are many ways stress can affect one’s teeth, which also jeopardizes the health of the gums as well as the overall health of the mouth. The following is a list of four ways that stress can negatively affect one’s overall oral health:

1. Grinding and clenching one’s teeth

Grinding and clenching the teeth is common in those experiencing stress in their lives. The technical term is bruxism, which can lead to one experiencing headaches, a sore jaw, fractured teeth and worn down teeth.

2. Periodontal issues like gum disease

When someone is undergoing stress it makes it more difficult for their body to fight off infections. Since periodontal issues like gum disease are infections of the mouth, if there are any problems going on with the teeth and gums they will only worsen due to stress.

3. Temporomandibular disorder

More commonly known as TMJ, stress is one of the main causes of temporomandibular disorder. When someone is diagnosed with TMJ, they will often experience swelling and stiffness in the jaw area, discomfort and/or pain and a popping or clicking sound when they open or close their mouth.

4. Canker sores and mouth ulcers

Stress can lead to one getting both canker sores and mouth ulcers.

How does stress affect general health?

General health problems that tend to be stress-related include high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. When mental health problems are added to the mix, which can include feeling depressed and anxious, it can add even more levels of stress. This makes it even harder to deal with one’s everyday life

Are you currently experiencing stress in your life?

Now that you know how stress affects teeth, are you able to take the necessary measures to ensure that your oral health is always as good as it can be? It really is essential for you to find ways to deal with your stress so that it does not cause you to experience negative health issues. Exercise can help, as well as learning some stress management techniques. Know that the sooner you deal with your stress, the sooner you can begin to experience good oral health as well as good general health. If you have a question for us or need to make an appointment, we hope to hear from you soon!

Request an appointment here: https://brimhalldentalgroup.com or call Brimhall Dental Group at (661) 249-1122 for an appointment in our Bakersfield office.