Does stress affect oral health?
Long-term exposure to stressful situations harms the overall health of primarily internal organs, skin, hair, but many forget that a stressful lifestyle also affects the health of the teeth. In stressful situations, hormones and saliva are secreted differently. A person with extreme stress might skip brushing their teeth or skip flossing.
Moreover, people under stress develop bad habits such as smoking, biting their nails, gnashing their teeth.
Stress cause canker sores
We all happened to notice small damage in the mouth similar to a pimple that hurts. It usually occurs when your immune system gets stressed out.
If canker sores appear, know that they are not contagious and cannot be transmitted, but they are unpleasant and take a few days to pass. To alleviate the ailments, you can rinse the oral cavity with teas, such as sage tea, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Avoid spicy and sour foods and fruits that can further irritate the part affected by aphthae.
Bleeding gums
Bleeding gums can be a sign of gingivitis or periodontitis, but also a consequence of stress. Some people’s gums recede, so they become sensitive, inflamed, and red. In addition to the need to deal with stress or learn to deal with it healthily, it will be valuable to do a deep cleansing of the gums.
Jaw and neck pain
Pain is often a sign that you are “gnashing your teeth” during the night because the jaw muscles contract and spasms occur. The person is usually not aware of this because he is in a deep sleep. However, it is a sign that the stress has reached a high level.
To protect your teeth from damage, the dentist may recommend you to wear special night tooth protection. Occlusal splints, which are made based on the patient’s tooth impression, helps preserve the teeth and make the jaw more relaxed.
Bad breath
Bad breath does not necessarily mean that you do not follow all the rules of oral hygiene. Stress affects the stomach and may occur returning stomach acid to the oral cavity. In that way, many bacteria develop in the mouth, which causes bad breath.
Stress can also lead to reduced salivation, which adversely affects the teeth, but also bad breath. Therefore, drink plenty of fluids and unsweetened teas to alleviate this ailment.
If you want to schedule an examination or consultation with our dentists, you can call us at 011 2662 577 or visit us at 3 Trstenjakova Street in Belgrade. Our team of experts will be happy to give you professional advice on proper dental care and help make your smile your trademark.