How Stress Affects Oral Health

Stress is the body’s reaction to mental or emotional pressure. The body reacts to stress by releasing hormones, and the effects vary from person to person depending on what is causing the stress. For example, some people feel stressed by public speaking, whereas others are not bothered by it.

How Does Stress Cause Oral Health Problems?

Poor oral hygiene habits deal with the effects of stress on the body and can lead to cavities and gum disease. Stress causes the body to react in certain ways, such as clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth at night. This can lead to tooth damage and tooth loss over time. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day can help prevent these problems.

Unfortunately, many people do not develop these healthy oral care habits to deal with their stress. This can create a vicious cycle that makes it difficult to maintain good oral health.

Stress also affects your immune system’s ability to fight infection. When you are stressed, you may notice that you get sick more often and that your colds and flu last longer than they used to. Your body may react the same way to gum infections or an oral injury—it may take longer to heal than it should.

Stress can cause dry mouth. A decrease in saliva production can increase the risk of tooth decay. Your teeth will not have the time they need to remineralize, which can result in tooth decay. A dry mouth can also cause bad breath.

Some medications can also result in dry mouth and make existing symptoms worse. Talk to your dentist if you think you may be suffering from dry mouth. They can help you treat it and prevent further problems with your oral health.

Manage Your Stress

Fortunately, there are ways to deal with stress that don’t involve eating sugary foods or smoking. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress because it releases endorphins that make you feel good. Meditation and breathing exercises are also helpful for reducing stress. In addition, you can try to avoid stressful situations as best as you can. If a particular person or situation causes you to feel stressed out, try to spend less time with them and find other ways to handle the situation.

If you’re already dealing with gum disease, it’s important to take steps to reduce your stress levels so that you can improve your oral health. You can take measures like exercising more, meditating, and practicing mindfulness to help reduce your overall feelings of stress and anxiety. Treating your gum disease can also help improve your mood and overall sense of well-being.

We request you schedule a consultation with our team of dental experts to get all your oral concerns addressed at the earliest. Please call us at (435) 713-0096 or schedule an online consultation, and we'll be happy to help.