What is Stress Doing to Your Teeth?

It takes only stress to ruin your teeth. Don’t believe us? Over 140 million people are missing a tooth, and millions more are suffering tooth damage! What is stress doing to victimize your teeth? The answer lies below.

Stress is unique to every person, and how it affects our teeth is too.

This One’s a Nail-Biter

Nail-biting is a big one. While one in three people worldwide resort to nail-biting, only 40 percent of them do it out of nervousness or stress. That doesn’t mean we can cross off stress as a reason people do it. As a stress mechanism, nail-biting cause translucency and shortening of the teeth, and over time, cause them to weaken and crack unexpectedly. It’s hard to point a solution for nail-biting, as some do it out of stress, while many others do it to release endorphins. The best we can suggest is to find other ways to release stress other than taking it out on your nails.

Gum Disease is Lurking Around the Corner

In recent light, there’s been a correlation between stress and bleeding gums plus diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis. That bloody rinse after brushing your teeth may be a sign stress is taking its toll on your teeth (or you’re brushing too hard). Don’t panic now! There are easy ways to treat this before it gets out of hand. Simply visit your dentist and request a gum treatment or a deep cleaning. Your dentist will be able to determine if, indeed, you’re suffering from gum disease and will prescribe treatment accordingly.

Here's One That Will Keep Your Mouth Shut

Ever had an aching jaw while stressing out? You’re not alone. Over 30% of adults have an aching or clacking jaw while stressed out. We refer to this as myofascial pain disorder, or temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Aching jaws are not a welcoming feeling, and it’s hard to find treatment for it other than applying Botox to relax the surrounding muscles.

A Terrible Case of Bad Breath

Have you ever breathed into your hand while stressed out and realized you need a mint? You may brush your teeth, your tongue, and the roof of your mouth but stress itself can cause you to have bad breath. That’s because stress can increase your chances of acid reflux and volume of other bodily chemicals that causes bad breath. If you think stress is causing your bad breath, you may need to look at selective prescriptions made to fight it. When all else fails, you may need to see a doctor, as this may be more than just damage to your teeth, but to your stomach too.

Your Sweet Tooth May Not Be So Sweet

To top our list off, we have sugary foods. Yes, for many of us, we lean towards sugary foods to snack on when we feel like we’re under pressure. However, we open ourselves up to a higher risk of tooth decay. That’s not a good thing, unless you’re into watching your teeth turn brown and rot off. Fortunately, this one is easily preventable by watching your overall diet and sugar intake levels, as well as trying out a toothpaste with a sugar acid neutralizer.

Stop Stressing About What’s Happening to Your Teeth

Now that you’re aware of what problems stress can inflict onto your teeth, it’s time to relax and not stress out. Throughout this article you may have learned - stress only makes things worse. Take some time to reflect, to address the sources of stress in your life. Not only will confronting your sources of stress make you feel better, you’ll be able to watch out for them in the future! Schedule an appointment with your dentist and they’ll help you curate a plan to keep your teeth safe from stress.