Oral Issues Caused by Excessive Stress
2020 has changed life as we knew it — there is uncertainly in everything we see. We are dealing with a pandemic that refuses to die down, making stress an integral part of our lives. Parents, especially, are constantly living under fear and anxiety. Earlier this year, a survey study revealed that various factors, including the current scenario which requires parents to constantly supervise their children as they take online classes and growing concerns about healthcare and healthcare amenities have led to parents feeling stressed all the time. Almost all of us know that stress is bad for health, but not many people know that stress is also bad for oral health. In this article, we introduce our readers to the six oral conditions that are caused by stress.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is a condition that affects the gum. Signs and symptoms include bleeding gums, loose teeth, and bad breath. Though stress does not cause gum disease, it certainly hampers the body’s ability to fight it. Thus, if you have been experiencing bleeding gums or find that your teeth have become loose, don’t use this pandemic as a reason to delay that long-due dentist appointment.
Temporomandibular Joints Disorder
The temporomandibular joints, located right below the ear, facilitate the movement of the lower jaw. Many people start grinding teeth or clenching their jaw when they are stressed. This habit is one of the leading causes of the Temporomandibular Joints disorder. The good news is, in most cases, a good diet and meditation can help alleviate the TMJ disorder. However, in some cases, anxiety medication may become required.
Mouth Ulcers
For a long, long time, the prevalent opinion was that vitamin-B deficiency and mouth injuries cause mouth ulcers. However, over time, research has proven that there is some connection between mouth ulcers and stress. If you have been experiencing mouth ulcers and think stress is what is causing them, we recommend you to immediately see a dentist. Your dentist will most likely prescribe you a gel or a cream that will help you deal with the pain caused by mouth ulcers.
Dry Mouth Syndrome
Dry mouth syndrome is a condition that often affects women after they hit menopause. However, stress is another causative factor. The dry mouth syndrome causes the mouth to become dry and the person suffering from this syndrome experiences a hot and burning sensation in their mouth. If you think you have the dry mouth syndrome and stress caused it, see a dentist. You may need to take anti-depressants to get the situation under control.
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding is a very common problem — many people experience it. Teeth grinding is problematic as it often leads to severe headaches and sore jaws. Among other things, stress is one of the most reasons why people grind their teeth. Effective treatment options include therapy or counseling or wearing a tooth guard while sleeping.
Nail Biting
Lastly, many people bite nails to cope with stress. Nail-biting is a bad habit capable of harming oral health. When we bite our nails, we give bacteria and viruses present on our hands a chance to enter our gums and mouth. These bacteria and viruses, in turn, can cause several problems. If you think your nail-biting has increased during this pandemic, do not delay seeing a dentist.
Conclusion
We are dealing with a situation we have never faced before and therefore, it is normal to feel stressed. However, we must make it a point to not let this stress get to our health. If stress has been affecting your oral health, make an appointment with your dentist, and start the required treatment as soon as you can.
For more information regarding your dental health, please give Dr. Apsey of Smile Brightly Dental a call today! We are located in Warren, MI and we can be reached at 586-573-7700!