Stress and mental health have been very directly studied and show to have a lot of negative effects on our bodies. It’s widely known that feeling stressed negatively affects our immune system. There is direct link between stress and health issues such as irritability, headache, stomach ache, panic attacks and sleep disorders.

It’s essential for you to know that stress can have a negative impact on your dental health as well. People, who experience a great of stress in their daily life, often suffer various types of dental problems. It goes without saying that stress should be avoided for the betterment of your overall oral health. In this blog, we will tell readers how stress can affect their dental health.

Stress Can Lead to Poor Oral Hygiene

Stressed people may forget about maintaining good oral hygiene. Moreover, individuals under stress often start smoking and consuming foods and drinks which negatively affect oral health. Finally, stress can also directly cause some dental problems as well.    

Stress can Cause Dry Mouth 

There is a studied relationship between stress and dry mouth. The fact is that when you are under stress your mouth doesn’t quite produce enough saliva/ it’s normal amount. That means that long-term stress can lead to chronic dryness. It is worth noting that dry mouth can also be caused by medications which are used for treating anxiety and stress. 

Stress Increases the Risk of Gum Disease

As it has already been mentioned above, stress weakens the immune system. There is evidence that even short term stresses can lead to a significant increase in plaque.  So, if you suffer from chronic stress the risk of bleeding gums and gingivitis will increase dramatically. Therefore, the risk of developing gum disease will increase as well. Oftentimes, stress ends up with depression. It is important to know that depression has a huge negative impact on gum disease treatment.  

Stress May Grind Your Teeth

Ever catch yourself grinding your teeth during periods of stress. It’s widely known that stressed individuals grind their teeth a lot. You need to know that teeth grinding negatively affects the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) and can result in serious dental problems. So, reducing stress in your daily life will definitely help you minimize the negative effects of teeth grinding.    

Stress and Canker Sores

Unfortunately, the exact causes of canker sores still remain unknown. According to numerous opinions of scientists, emotional and physical stress is considered to be one of the main causes of canker sores.

It goes without saying that avoiding stress is extremely important for maintaining good health, inclusive of oral health. You can visit a dentist in Las Vegas for check-ups regularly and do your best to resolve any of dental problems in their early stages. You can also check out our blog page of our dental clinic in Las Vegas to get more information on how to keep your teeth, gums and mouth healthy. We update it with fresh content weekly!