Understanding How Stress Affects Your Oral Health
You may be aware of the physical and emotional symptoms of stress such as headaches, stomachaches, and anxiety, but did you know that stress can also affect your oral health? It’s important to pinpoint the causes of your stress and know your body’s early warning signs. It’s also smart to take steps to reduce your stress.
Here are some ways stress can affect your oral health:
- Clenched Jaws
- Teeth Grinding
- Cracked Teeth
- Poor Oral Hygiene
- Cold Sores
- Canker Sores
- Decreased Immune Response
Clenched Jaws
Consistent muscle tension in your jaw from chronic stress can cause TMJ. This condition causes pain in your jaw and around your ears. You may also experience difficulty opening your mouth, chewing food or may hear a clicking noise.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a common action when you are stressed and anxious. Teeth grinding can happen during the day, especially when you are concentrating or at night while you sleep. Teeth grinding causes significant wear and tear on your teeth, resulting in chipped or loose teeth, tooth sensitivity and pain in your jaw or head.
Cracked Teeth
Cracked teeth are often the result of teeth grinding or clenching your jaws. Cracked teeth can cause pain and fractures, requiring complex and expensive treatment to fix.
Poor Oral Hygiene
When stressed, self-care may become less important. An imbalanced diet and lack of a good oral hygiene routine can cause plaque buildup, decay, gum disease and even tooth loss.
Cold Sores
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus HSV-1 and are usually triggered by stress. Typically, they manifest as lesions on the lips or corners of the mouth, but they can also appear on your gums which can make it painful to brush or floss. Cold sores tend to last between 5-7 days.
Canker Sores
Canker sores are mouth ulcers that occur inside the mouth. They can be brought on by biting your cheek, eating highly acidic foods, smoking and stress.
Decreased Immune Response
When you are stressed, your immune system is compromised, making it harder for your body to fight infections. This can lead to inflammation of the gums which can increase your chances of developing gum disease.
What Can You Do?
Early detection of oral health issues can help save your gums, teeth, and jaws from the long-term effects of stress.
Getting to the root of the problem and working to remove the cause of stress is the first step. If that is not possible yoga, mediation, journaling, exercise, or counseling may help reduce your tension.
Visiting your dentist regularly could help identify signs of stress on your oral health and they can also recommend specific treatment based on your symptoms.
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