A study published by Vasiliou et al. (2016) in the NCBI finds that there is a direct correlation between current stress and oral health. Many believe that stress is directly related to physical health issues like headaches and weight loss. The aspect of oral health with respect to stress is a topic that has been widely overlooked in the past. The need for proper oral care during a stressful phase in your life is significant. In case you ask about the link between stress and oral health, the following sections in this article will help you perfectly understand it.
Grinding teeth
Grinding your teeth, especially during the day is a common habit when you are going through a stressful period. Although many may simply term it as a ‘bad habit’, there are a few consequences related to it. The habit of grinding teeth often results in tooth decay, especially if you have a habit of grinding your teeth too hard. You also stand a risk of damaging your enamel in the process, and in severe cases, even weakening the root and the bone. It immediately makes way for severe oral pain.
Deteriorating oral hygiene
When most of us cope with stress, we tend to become a little carefree about ourselves. This is primarily because we feel that we have bigger things to combat in life, and greater things to concentrate on. Unfortunately, brushing and flossing regularly are two of the most common habits that we sacrifice in the process. This leads to tooth decay. Without flossing, the bacteria in the teeth tend to thrive and release acids that create holes in the teeth. Similarly, without brushing properly and regularly, we only make matters worse. This is how stress can sometimes give way to serious dental problems.
Insufficient diet
It is the most common knowledge that stress is related to loss of appetite. What follows is a chain of other reactions that take a toll on your oral health. For instance, loss of appetite means a lack of intake of certain vitamins and nutrients. This, in turn, means that nutrients like Vitamin C are not sufficiently catered to the teeth. Such vitamins and nutrients are essential for the teeth to stay strong and healthy. Depriving the teeth of these nutrients might result in toothache and unhealthy roots.
Insurance, socio-economic position, oral pain, and general oral health
Let us get back to where we started. This section was saved for the last because it requires meticulous understanding. What Vasiliou et al. (2016) found in their study was that current stress had a direct impact on oral health. To elaborate, both of the factors of stress showed a positive relationship with poor oral health. While being uninsured relatively affected oral pain more adversely, a declining socio-economic status had a greater effect on general oral health. The researchers suggest that modifications in dental insurance and socioeconomic status were required to alter oral health conditions.
No matter what, make sure that you are always able to take out enough time to look after yourself even in tough situations. Ensure to visit the dentist once in a while, do not cut on your diet, and try to get rid of that habit of grinding your teeth. Your body does require a certain level of nurturing to stay within the proper algorithm of its mechanism; do not overlook it. The effect of stress on oral health is real and the last thing that you would want is to try and fight your daily dose of stress with a sore mouth!
