Chronic stress affects countless individuals, causing everything from depression and anxiety to infections, weight gain, heart disease, cognitive decline, and more. While it might seem as if the majority of the complications negatively impact the body and brain, a person’s oral health can also be in jeopardy. Dry mouth, canker sores, enamel erosion, jaw pain, and other similar issues can form if stress is not properly managed. Read on to discover the various problems that can occur and what a person can do to lower their risk of experiencing stress-induced dental harm.
Stress & the Smile: How Does One Affect the Other?
Stress affects everyone to some degree. Whether it’s work, school, family, or something you’re struggling with personally, it can impact your sleep, productivity, relationships, and, naturally, your overall health.
When it comes to your smile, though, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that stress can take its toll on your teeth and gums, too. Many of the problems that form in the mouth can extend to conditions developing throughout the body.
A few of the ways your chronic stress may begin to target your smile include:
- Bruxism: When stressed, you may grind or clench your teeth, causing enamel erosion and jaw pain over time.
- Gum Disease: Stress weakens the immune system, which can make it harder to fight off an infection. When bacteria attack the soft tissues that hold your teeth in place (your gums), they can spread quickly and harm other oral features.
- Dry Mouth: Stress is known to slow saliva production, which can cause harmful acids (that would normally be neutralized) to break down tooth enamel.
- Poor Oral Hygiene: If you’re dealing with chronic stress and feeling depressed, you may not think about brushing and flossing your teeth, which can lead to cavities and gum disease.
Other ways include bad eating habits and the development of canker sores.
How to Manage Your Stress & Ultimately Enjoy Better Oral Health
If needing restorative or more complex dental care doesn’t sound appealing, there are many ways to better manage your stress to keep it from impacting your oral health. You can:
- Adopt an exercise routine that allows you to work off some energy, maintain a healthy weight, and relieve stress in a positive way (i.e., kickboxing, dance aerobics, cycling, etc.)
- Seek professional help from a counselor or therapist who can discuss the underlying reasons for your stress and offer ways to work through these issues.
- Engage in breathing exercises or meditation to calm down your body and shift your focus away from what is causing you stress.
- Incorporate healthy foods into your diet, like leafy greens, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc. These will not only help you shed a few pounds but also lower your risk of cavities and gum disease.
- Make sure you get enough sleep every night. This means eliminating screen time before bed, choosing lightweight pajamas to keep from getting overheated, and creating a space for optimal rest.
Avoiding all stress is impossible, but you can take steps to reduce it. By adopting some of these tips, you will not only notice a difference in how you feel physically and mentally, but you’ll also appreciate how these changes positively impact your smile.
About the Author
As a trusted dentist in the area, Dr. Joanne Bancroft has been practicing for more than two decades. She earned her dental degree from the State University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in 2002, and she completed a General Practice Residency at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Recognizing that many of her patients struggle with stress in their daily lives, she and her team offer tips to help minimize the impact it has on their smile. If you are worried that your oral health is at risk because of the stress you’re experiencing, contact us at (720) 458-6561 to let us provide the help you need!