Did you know that stress can affect your dental health? We tell you how this mental disorder has a negative impact on your mouth.
Carrying problems and more problems on your mind doesn’t just affect your behavior. Suffering from stress has effects on the whole organism, even in dental health.
Deadlines to deliver jobs, economic uncertainty, problems with family relationships, exam times… There are several reasons that can lead people to feel anxious and stressed. And in current times, this disorder is becoming more and more frequent.
Constant stress and anxiety They generate changes in the body that affect the health of those who suffer from them. Well, these mental pictures are capable of causing new conditions or worsening others already present.
In the mouth, this mental discomfort also has negative consequences. In this article we tell you how stress can affect your dental health and what you can do about it.
Stress
The word “stress” comes from the Greek term stringere, which means ‘squeeze’. It is an adaptive state of physical and emotional tension that arises as a self-defense response.
Stress manifests itself when the person feels threatened by some situation. Worry triggers a defensive response that affects the entire body.
And while this state of alert is necessary in some contexts and occasionally, its persistence is harmful to health. These are the symptoms that characterize a stress crisis:
- headaches
- Rough breathing.
- Rapid pulse.
- Tiredness and fatigue.
- Difficulty to sleep.
- Muscle pains.
- Digestive problems.
- Difficult to focus.
- Affections in the oral cavity.
- Mood swings and unstable feelings.
This article deals with the influence of stress on dental health. Let’s look at this relationship in more detail.
stress and dental health
Suffering from stress on a regular basis triggers many changes in the body and dental health is also affected. Teeth, gums and other oral structures suffer the consequences of this condition.
The organic changes that moments of tension generate they are not the only ones responsible for disorders in the mouth. Changes in behavior and neglect of diet and hygiene routines also lead to deterioration of oral health.
People with mental problems such as chronic stress, anxiety and depression often neglect their dental care routine. In addition, unhealthy diets, the consumption of addictive substances such as tobacco and alcohol, and the lack of visits to the dentist are frequent behaviors in these patients.
On the other hand, as we mentioned, stress in itself causes internal changes in the body. An increased amount of the hormone cortisol characterizes these moments in which the body goes on alert.
cortisol spikes weaken the immune system, facilitating the action of oral bacteria and the inflammation of the tissues of the mouth. Likewise, the muscular tension characteristic of stressful situations has its repercussion on dental health.
It is also worth mentioning that many patients suffering from stress are treated with anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants. As we will tell you later, These drugs have an impact on oral health.
Next, we detail the conditions that stress causes in dental health.
gum disease
As we already mentioned, stress causes internal changes that alter the body’s defense mechanisms. With this increases the risk of infection.
At the oral level, the most affected by this condition are the gums and the other tissues that support the teeth. exist studies that relate stress to the onset of periodontal disease or its progression if it is already present.
What’s more, the presence of bacterial plaque and tartar in the area by neglect of dental hygiene aggravates the situation. Tobacco use is another condition that also worsens the picture.
Thus, the accumulated germs irritate the gingival tissue and cause an exaggerated inflammatory response. It is what in dentistry we call gingivitis. The gums swell, lose their shape, become red and shiny, bleed easily, and are sore or sore.
In cases where this situation is not treated and persists, It can progress to periodontitis. In this disorder, the inflammation and infection goes deeper, affecting the tissues that support the teeth.
The loss of bone support typical of periodontal disease causes the teeth to move. And in the most severe cases it can even lead to tooth loss. Furthermore, this pathology is related to other systemic diseases which may be aggravated or manifested by association with oral infection.
Bruxism and temporomandibular disorders
Another of the oral health conditions associated with stress is bruxism. this condition It consists of the clenching of the jaws or the grinding of the teeth involuntarily. Therefore, the patient does not realize that he is doing it.
This parafunction of the mandible is performed persistently. And it can happen both day and night. Although in the hours of sleepwhen the body unconsciously releases stress, episodes of bruxism occur more frequently.
Hand in hand with bruxism, stress is also associated with problems in the temporomandibular joint. Excessive squeezing, the contraction of the masticatory muscles and the tension that the body experiences in moments of anxiety damage this mobile structure.
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the complex that relates the lower jaw to the base of the skull. Of the structures that constitute it depends on the opening and closing movement of the jaw.
As we already mentioned, stress causes a greater occlusion of the upper pieces with the lower ones. This constant contact has an exaggerated intensity. And that tension of the muscles of the face and jaw in anxiety crises overload the temporomandibular joint.
Symptoms of bruxism and TMJ problems due to stress
If you become aware of what is happening in your body during those moments of restlessness, anger or anger, you may notice that your teeth are clenched and your cheeks are drawn. That this position of tension is repeated frequently affects the structures involved.
In addition, there are other symptom associates:
- Tooth sensitivity.
- Wear of dental pieces.
- Head, neck and ear pain.
- Teeth clicking when sleeping.
- Difficulty opening the mouth or chewing.
- Contractures in the muscles of the neck and face.
- Pain in the jaw and chewing muscles.
- Noises in the jaw when opening or closing the mouth.
thrush and herpes
Lesions in the oral mucosa are other oral conditions associated with stress. The fall in defenses caused by the organic changes typical of anxiety states favors the appearance of these processes.
canker sores They are whitish ulcerations that affect the mucous membranes of the mouth. They are surrounded by a red inflammatory halo and are very painful.
The lips, cheeks and the edges of the tongue are the sites where they manifest most frequently. But they can appear in any soft tissue of the mouth. In general, they disappear by themselves after 10 days without leaving sequelae.
Recurrent lesions caused by the herpes simplex virus also manifest with frequency in stressed people. This pathogenic agent remains inactive in the patient. But in stressful situations take advantage of the lower defense capacity causing mucosal damage.
This viral process manifests itself with lesions on the lips and the corners of the mouth. Although it can also occur on gums and other oral mucosa.
They are small vesicles of liquid content that they break and are covered with a yellowish crust. In the case of appearing inside the mouth, they are covered with a whitish membrane that gives them an appearance similar to that of canker sores.
The process is very annoying for the patient, since the area presents a characteristic itching and burning. Even this sensation is perceived a few days before the lesions appear. The picture lasts between 5 and 7 days.
dry mouth
dry mouth or xerostomia it is a lower salivary production and a decrease in oral lubrication. This disorder can be caused by both stress and medications used to treat anxiety and depression. It is that several of these drugs have the adverse effect of oral dryness.
As saliva decreases, the mouth becomes dehydrated, causing uncomfortable sensations for the patient and hindering oral functions such as speaking and eating. In addition, by reducing the defense and cleaning action of the oral fluid, the risk of caries, gingivitis and pyorrhea increases. These people usually have to deal with bad breath problems.
Burning mouth syndrome is another of the oral disorders associated with stress. Its etiology is not very clear, but the combination of states of anxiety and dry mouth could contribute to its onset or worsen symptoms. An uncomfortable sensation of tingling and burning in the buccal mucosa characterizes it.
Cavities
Caries is a chronic process of destruction of the hard tissues of the teeth. It occurs as a consequence of the action of the acids produced by the bacteria when fermenting the sugars in the diet.
In any case, for the disease to occur, several necessary factors must be combined. In the case of patients suffering from stress, various conditions favor the development of this multicausal disease:
- A lower immune response against the action of germs.
- dry mouth: lack of hydration and less self-cleaning of oral tissues favor bacterial proliferation.
- Behaviors that neglect oral health: patients with stress and mental problems sometimes tend to pay less attention to personal care, and thus to dental hygiene. They also eat an unhealthy diet and avoid dental visits. This increases the risk of tooth decay.
take charge of the problem
To avoid the negative effects of stress on dental health it will be necessary to deal with both sides of the problem. On the one hand, taking an interest in oral care will help reduce several of the pathologies that we are telling you about here. On the other hand, finding ways to reduce everyday anxiety will improve oral conditions.
Visiting the dentist frequently to detect any disorder associated with stress in time is essential. Wearing bruxism splints and regular professional cleanings help keep oral structures in good condition. In addition, the professional can suggest other appropriate treatments for each case.
Proper oral hygiene at home, eating a healthy diet and staying hydrated they often prevent these disorders as well. And it is convenient to avoid the consumption of alcohol and tobacco that worsen the symptoms of stress in the mouth.
Seeking professional help and techniques for stress control (meditation exercises, conscious breathing, yoga, playing sports and going outdoors) will influence an improvement in dental health. Being aware of everyday anxiety situations and the problems that this condition generates in our body is a great first step in finding solutions.
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