Life can bring you to a state of constant stress and can affect your health if you aren’t careful. Not only does stress affect several other parts of your body as well as your mind, it mainly attacks your teeth and can cause pain you have never experienced before. Your oral health should be placed only in the best hands, and at Bridge Creek Dental we offer you only the best solutions to keep your teeth safe from the harm of stress.
Grinding Your Teeth Can Be A Sign Of Stress
Grinding your teeth in your sleep is often caused by underlying stress and anxiety that is trapped in your subconscious mind until you go to sleep. Once asleep, you begin to process that stress and you grind your teeth unconsciously. Because you are asleep when it happens, you should be aware of the signs that mean you grind your teeth frequently enough to cause damage. Some of the signs include:
- The tips of your teeth are flat or dull
- Your tongue has new indentations
- The enamel has worn off the teeth affected and your teeth have become extremely sensitive
- Tired or locked jaw
- Pain that feels like an earache
The only way to protect your teeth against grinding at night is to have a mouth guard customized to your teeth to wear when you sleep. Come to us and let one of our skilled dentists at Bridge Creek Dental help you protect your teeth and prevent any further damage.
Gum Disease Is Increased With Stress
Life changes can be stressful and take a toll on you in more ways that one, especially in ways you don’t notice right off the bat. In fact:
- Gum disease sneaks in when you least expect it, and thrives on any emotional stress you might have.
- Stress and emotional strain can make gum disease more severe.
- If you are worried you might suffer from severe gum disease due to high stress, call us and one of our skilled dentists can give you the treatment you may need.
Canker Sores Can Be A Trigger of Stress
Canker sores, also known as mouth ulcers, are typically caused by biting your cheek, brushing too hard, or jabbing your toothbrush against your gums. They can also be triggered by stress and appear more frequently when you are experiencing more emotional or physical strain than usual. They will typically decrease once your stress levels are lower.
Continue to Keep Up Good Oral Hygiene
When you are stressed it is easy to forget to do the simple things you normally do to keep your body healthy. If you have a tendency to skip brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, your teeth are bound to take a hit as well. It’s important to remember that keeping up daily dental hygiene habits can save you from further damage, and preventable dental work like filling cavities. Even in times of stress, make sure to be consistent with brushing and flossing so you don’t have to happen upon more stress from future dental issues. If you need an extra shove, come see us at Bridge Creek Dental and we will talk you through the steps necessary to have healthy teeth, and essentially, a healthy life.