Stress Can Have an Impact on Your Oral Health
Your Local Red Deer Dentists Talk About How Stress May Affect Your Teeth
Even if you practice excellent oral hygiene habits, you may still find yourself faced with various dental problems. These issues could actually be a result of stress. Stress can cause a variety of oral health conditions, from teeth grinding to mouth sores to gum disease.
Always speak to your dentist at Parkland Mall Dental Centre if you experience dental health problems. In many cases, treatment may be implemented quickly enough to stop or even reverse some conditions. Your dentist can also offer useful tips on how to maintain good oral health.
Exploring What Stress Can Do to Your Teeth
If you are not able to manage the amount of stress in your life, you could soon be faced with some urgent dental health problems. Take a look at some of the ways that stress can cause problems in your mouth:
• Clenching and Grinding: When you are under a great amount of stress, you may start clenching or grinding your teeth. This can loosen the tissue around your teeth, leaving the gums vulnerable to harmful bacteria. These bacteria may lead to gum disease and loss of teeth.
• Sores: A lot of stress can also weaken your immune system. When that happens, you may develop sores in or around your mouth. Canker sores can manifest inside your mouth, and cold sores may appear near the outside of your mouth. Both types of sores are painful.
• Dry Mouth: Another potential result of stress is getting a chronically dry mouth. When your mouth does not have enough moisture in it, harmful bacteria can thrive. This environment can ultimately result in tooth decay and periodontal disease.
• Neglecting Oral Hygiene: Ongoing stress can lead to depression. If you are depressed, you may stop brushing and flossing as often as you should. This behaviour can quickly turn into a bad habit that is difficult to break.
• Missing Appointments: When you feel stressed out and under too many time constraints, you may talk yourself into skipping dental visits. It might be easy to convince yourself that missing one appointment will not harm your health. Unfortunately, this is another behaviour that can become a bad habit.
Visit Your Family Dentist in Red Deer
If you have recently experienced much stress, this is a good time to schedule a dental appointment. Your family dentist can examine your mouth for signs of stress, such as teeth grinding, mouth sores, and dry mouth. The evidence will manifest in conditions like worn enamel, dental decay, and gum disease. These are issues that should be identified as soon as possible, and they should be treated sooner rather than later. You may also need to find ways to reduce your stress levels so that your health does not continue to suffer.
Call Parkland Mall Dental Centre at 403-342-1118 to book your next dental appointment. You can also complete our quick online contact form to reach us. New dental patients are always welcome to contact us too.