How does stress affect oral health?

Stress is an all too common problem today, and although not all types of stress are negative, the truth is that states of nervous agitation or emotional tension are quite common in today’s society, and in some cases become chronic stress.

Situations such as overwork or loss of work, divorce, death of a loved one, financial problems or illness, to give just a few examples, can easily lead to stress.

When this happens, we are aware of how it affects our emotional state or ability to rest and get enough sleep at night. But we don’t always pay enough attention to how stress affects our oral health.

Moreover, the first symptoms are difficult to detect, as they usually occur while we sleep: grinding and clenching our teeth (bruxism). And since the effects of stress on our mouth are progressive, by the time we realize it, the problem may already be at an advanced stage.

How does stress affect our mouth?

Any stressful situation has negative consequences for our oral health, but the worst scenario is chronic stress. When we are stressed we accentuate certain negative habits, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or eating more sweets and fats. This in itself is a problem for our mouth.

In addition, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology, stress affects our ability to brush and floss our teeth effectively.

Another study, published in the Journal of Biological Regulators & Homeostatic Agents, points out that there is a relationship between stress and periodontal diseases, since when we are stressed our defenses decrease, which can lead to an increase in gum inflammation.

The latter means that stress not only affects the habits that influence our oral health, but also has a direct detrimental effect.

Top 4 dental health problems caused by stress

1. Periodontal diseases: gingivitis and periodontitis. The fact that our eating and hygiene habits worsen can lead to an increase in bacterial plaque and a decrease in defenses. In addition, the stress-related hormone cortisol can also generate inflammation and increase the risk of periodontal disease.
2. Bruxism and temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Stress can cause us to clench and grind our teeth, which is known as bruxism, and can cause pain in the muscles responsible for chewing, as well as tooth wear. The same pressure can cause temporomandibular joint dysfunction or temple pain.
3. Cavities. If we eat worse -more sugar and fat- and neglect our oral hygiene, more harmful food debris accumulates in the oral cavities, thus favoring the appearance of cavities.
4. Mouth irritations, such as canker sores or cold sores. The decrease in defenses caused by stress makes us more vulnerable to bacteria and viruses, which can cause the appearance of canker sores, which are like whitish sores on the gums or mucous membranes, or the well-known cold sores.

Recommendations to avoid or reduce stress

The first thing we recommend is to see a specialist to find out the origin of the problem and be able to treat it. But if it is a punctual stress, such as the one that can generate times like Christmas, exam periods or a specific adverse situation, these recommendations can help you cope better:

• Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga or diaphragmatic breathing.
• Organize your time carefully with an agenda and prioritize tasks. The feeling of having things under control will help you avoid stress.
• Take vitamin boosters in the form of fruit or supplements.
• Do some physical exercise, such as going for a walk or a run.
• Take your dental hygiene to the extreme, even if you don’t think you need it at first. Have your teeth cleaned and checked to detect possible problems in time.