Stress is something that we all encounter at one point or another. Unfortunately, stress also takes a toll on oral health, with research showing a correlation between stress and gum disease. When you are overcome with stress, anxiety, or depression, it often affects your oral health, leading to a series of possible dental problems.
Here are a few oral health concerns that stress contributes to:
Neglecting oral hygiene: When we have issues that we are stressed out about we tend to pay less attention to oral hygiene. Thought skipping brushing, flossing, or cleanings may not seem serious in the moment, the result can be more complex oral health issues in the long-term.
Dry mouth: High levels of stress hormones can decrease saliva production, causing chronic dry mouth. A dry mouth combined with poor oral hygiene can easily lead to tooth decay, as well as gingivitis or periodontitis.
Burning mouth syndrome: Stress and psychological problems are a factor in the cause of burning mouth syndrome, which presents itself as a burning sensation on the lips, gums, tongue, and/or palate.
Bruxism: Stress can lead to teeth grinding at night, which eventually leads to tooth damage, as well as your jaw, by being a contributing factor to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). Other symptoms of teeth grinding include headaches, fractured or loose teeth, earaches, as well as soreness in the teeth, gums, jaw, and/or face.
If you feel that stress may be taking a toll on the health of your teeth, contact Drs. Chin Dentistry at (702) 445-7075 to schedule your Las Vegas dental appointment today!