As our lives continue to become ever more involved with the world around us and our jobs become more demanding and our social lives become more hectic – this results in increased stress levels.
So, what has all this got to do with your teeth?
Food for thought
How many times have you ordered UberEATS in the past month (and be honest)? When we are stressed, we are drawn to things that comfort us, such as comfort food. This then creates bad habits that are hard to kick like eating take-away more often than we should. And what is the unhealthiest aspect of fast food? They are high in fat and sugar.
Not only will this have negative effects on your physical appearance, but high levels of sugar in your diet will also have detrimental effects on your teeth. Issues such as cavities and tooth decay will become increasingly more rampant if your stress levels are not kept in check.
Not enough hours in the day
With our lives becoming more demanding, it can result in important daily habits becoming abandoned if our time isn’t managed properly. One very important habit that can be (surprisingly) easy to forget is brushing your teeth.
“I’m so tired, I’ll brush my teeth tomorrow”. It may seem harmless at first, but if allowed to continue, this type of mentality will lead to bad habits – which will result in poor oral hygiene and poor dental health. Allocating time at the beginning and end of each day will ensure that you are giving your teeth the attention they deserve.
How do you show that you’re stressed?
Some people get headaches, some people sweat more – and some people grind their teeth. This is called bruxism and can cause considerable damage to your teeth over time. If not addressed, it can lead to issues such as damaged jaw muscles, chipped teeth and worn-down enamel on your teeth. Seeing a dentist as soon as possible will provide solutions such as creating a mouthguard to wear while you sleep at night.
But these are all physical. What about the mental effects of stress on our body and how it affects our teeth?
Slow to heal
Have you recently noticed that a small cut or bruise is taking longer to heal than normal? Stress reduces our body’s ability to heal. Regarding our teeth, this means that you are more vulnerable to mouth sores that take much longer to heal and be more susceptible to oral infections.
A Chink in the Armour
The decreased ability to heal is also due to stress decreasing the ability of your immune system. You become more prone to sores like mouth ulcers that take longer to heal, and various hormonal imbalances that can increase the build-up of plaque, leading to more cavities.
To avoid searching for a once your stress levels reach their limit, book an appointment with an experienced dentist at Suburban Smiles. Call 9878 9227 today or book an appointment on our website.
