The Influence of Stress on Poor Oral Health

As many in the dental profession are aware, the oral-systemic link has been drawing more attention than ever lately with the abundance of research being conducted throughout the industry. One aspect of this dynamic that affects nearly every single one of us at some point or another (if not on a continual basis…), is the relationship between stress and oral health.

Having good oral health, of course, involves many other factors aside from just how often you brush your teeth, but in essence, how often do you find yourself sitting there with your teeth grinding back and forth because you have 8,500 things to do that day? Not only is it unpleasant to hear, but the damage you’re doing to your teeth can be profound if the stress continues to grow.

Here are some other ways that stress can play a role in the condition of oral health:[1]

• Canker Sores: small ulcers on the inside of the mouth that are believed to  emerge with the onset of a stress.

• Cold Sores: fever blisters that appear on the outside of the lip that thrive and/or multiply during conditions of incremental stress.

• Bruxism: The act of teeth grinding or clenching your teeth subconsciously due to a high level of stress or worry.

• Poor Diet/Enamel Erosion: Stress can cause individuals to change their eating habits, which comprehensively affects oral health as more snack/junk type food is typically consumed (more sugar –> greater acidity/overall erosion) and salivary flow rates are altered/diminished.

• Poor Oral Hygiene: Stress can cause people to re-arrange priorities and skip out on preventive measures  that affect the state of their oral hygiene.

• Caries/Periodontal Disease: Stress has been known to correlate to an increased level of plaque in the oral cavity, and aid in the development of common oral diseases.