4 Ways Stress Can Affect Your Teeth (and How To Avoid It During Quarantine)

Information may not be reliable

Increasing health challenges, economic difficulties, and unpredictabilities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may be causing you to feel more stressed than normal. Apart from impacting your emotional health, stress can also impact your teeth. Gaining more knowledge about the oral signs of stress can give indications of how it’s affecting the rest of your body.

1. TMD and TMJ

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) involve diseases that affect your jaw’s joints and muscles. For instance, if your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are painful, it isn’t normal. Aching muscles or clicking or popping noises in your jaw are clear signs of TMD. In some cases, you may experience severe pain when chewing food or opening your mouth wide. Recurrent headaches are also linked to the tense jaw, neck, and back muscles. 

The main culprit of TMD is muscle tension resulting from grinding and clenching your teeth. Strained jaw muscles typically get sore and inflamed. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about half of U.S. citizens are afraid to get coronavirus. The growing stress linked to COVID-19 can also result in pressured neck muscles that may worsen your symptoms. 

Most store-bought night guards fail to prevent muscle pain. But using one during the pandemic may be highly beneficial. If they aggravate your symptoms, stop wearing them immediately. Your symptoms may subside as life returns to normal. However, consider visiting the top TMJ specialist when possible. 

2. Gum disease

Your body’s immune system can suffer complex and detrimental effects from stress. For instance, it can hamper your body’s ability to fight infections, leading to severe gum disease if you’re susceptible to it. More than half of Americans have periodontal disease, a serious gum infection.

Stress is only one of the main factors that contribute to the occurrence of this condition. Oral infection can enter your bloodstream through damaged gums, spreading all over your body. This can weaken your immune system even more. When it’s impossible to visit a dental specialist for routine cleanings during a coronavirus pandemic, practicing thorough dental hygiene will help reduce bacteria levels in your mouth.  

3. Infection

If you have a mild infection that progresses, stress may lead to a sudden surge in bacterial growth. If you’re diagnosed with gum disease and diabetes, stress can worsen your symptoms. These conditions are interconnected, and a cycle of exacerbated disease activity can occur.

4. Dry mouth

Dry mouth develops when your salivary glands fail to produce sufficient saliva. Your mouth may become sore, red, and raw. These symptoms may worsen at night when your saliva production ramps down even further.  

Dry mouth can be triggered by specific medications, health conditions, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Anxiety, depression, and stress are also known to lower saliva production. Both stress and anxiety can cause you to breathe through your mouth, causing tissues in your mouth to dry out even further. 

Staying hydrated is essential to increase saliva production. Alcohol-free mouthwashes can also help relieve your mouth. Identifying the precise cause of dry mouth is highly important. If you experience dry mouth even after reducing your stress level, be sure to consult your dentist about potential culprits. They will create a personalized treatment plan for your dry mouth and will advise you on how to prevent the associated tooth decay and cavities. 

The bottom line

If your life has become more stressful due to COVID-19 and you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, consider visiting a dental specialist when possible. Also, make sure to practice proper oral hygiene to help prevent or reduce stress-related dental problems.