Now that the holidays are over, were your stress levels higher than normal in the last few months? Though a beautiful and well-loved time of year, the holiday season can bring about the stress of planning gatherings and parties, doing plenty of cooking, hosting, purchasing gifts, or meeting work deadlines. Throughout your lifetime you’ll experience periods of higher stress during various stages of life, some more stressful than others. Unfortunately, dealing with stress is something everyone does.

Stress can majorly impact your overall health, including your heart and cognitive health. But did you know that stress also affects your oral health? Continue reading to learn how stress affects your oral health and how you can help manage it and maintain excellent oral health during stressful times.

The Impact of Stress on Oral Health

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), over three-quarters of American adults have experienced stress-induced health issues, oral health concerns included. Whether personal stress dealing with family struggles, workplace stress, or stress from medical reasons, it can be overwhelming to deal with, taking a major toll on our health including our teeth and gums. 

When we’re stressed we often unknowingly cause problems to our teeth and gums, including the following: 

  • Clenching or teeth grinding
  • Neglecting brushing teeth
  • Forgetting to floss
  • Adopting unhealthy eating habits
  • Picking up poor habits like drinking alcohol in excess or smoking

 

Whatever you do to help manage your stress, if it’s a poor habit, it’s negatively impacting your teeth. Clenching and grinding teeth is a common stress-inducing habit that most are unaware they’re doing. It’s a stress response, especially when frustrated or thinking deeply. Though occasional clenching and grinding of teeth won’t cause immediate damage, being stressed often with frequent teeth clenching and grinding can lead to severe damage to your teeth and gums.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in chaos and stress that we forget to brush and floss our teeth or don’t brush long enough or floss often enough. Sometimes we adopt unhealthy eating habits, like snacking on unhealthy and sugary foods that can ruin our enamel. Severe stress can also cause us to start poor habits like excessive alcohol consumption and smoking which weaken enamel and lead to gum disease.

How to Maintain Excellent Oral Health During Stressful Times

Though it’s difficult to manage stress, It’s crucial to maintain excellent oral health during stressful times.

Though stress can wreak havoc on your oral health, there are some measures you can take to protect your teeth from stress-induced damage. Below are some tips for maintaining excellent oral health and reducing stress during difficult times:

Adopt Relaxtion Techniques

Feeling stressed and can’t quite shake anxious thoughts? Adopting a relaxation technique can help calm your stress, slow your heart rate, and relax your mind. Examples of relaxation techniques include yoga, meditation, and exercise. 

Consume a Healthy Diet

Did you know that your diet can affect your oral and gum health? Consuming fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods makes you feel good physically. In return, your mood will improve, aiding in reducing stress levels. Consuming an unhealthy diet can make your mood plummet, making stress worse.

Brush & Floss Regularly

It’s difficult to remember certain tasks or chores while you’re stressed, whether from an all-consuming work project, family stress, or health stressors. However, ensure you never forget to brush and floss regularly through stressful times. Neglecting to brush will allow plaque to sit on the teeth, eventually causing cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Flossing cleans plaque between the teeth where brushing alone can’t reach, so it’s important never to skip regular brushing and flossing.

Start a Teeth Grinding Treatment

Do you clench and grind your teeth during stressful times? If so, a bruxism (or involuntary teeth grinding) treatment plan is an excellent idea to maintain oral health. The team at Rhoades Family Dentistry can help you say goodbye to teeth grinding and clenching by creating custom night guards and dental splints. We’ll work with you to create a custom plan for your specific needs to stop teeth grinding during stressful times.

Say Goodbye to Poor Habits

Stress can cause us to seek outlets to escape, like a bad habit we pick up thinking it comforts us in times of stress. Unfortunately, these poor habits, like smoking cigarettes or vaping do more harm than you realize; smoking and oral health are directly linked with gum disease, weakened enamel, increased risk of oral cancer, tooth decay, and more. Tobacco use is harmful to your oral health, but it’s never too late to quit smoking! Smoking cessation and oral benefits can help reverse the damage caused by tobacco use, helping to restore your healthy gums and teeth.

Knowing how stress can negatively impact your oral health, it’s time to make relaxation and destressing a priority for your overall health, including your oral health. If you have been neglecting brushing and flossing or have picked up a poor habit like smoking, Rhoades Family Dentistry offers services and treatments with exceptional care for all patients:

Book an appointment today by scrolling up and clicking “BOOK AN APPOINTMENT” on the top left of your screen or by calling (913) 782-8900. We look forward to serving you by providing excellent dental care and giving your family healthy smiles!