The Impact of Stress on Oral Health

We have heard that stress takes a toll on our physical health and it’s true. The elevated cortisol level can contribute to a variety of complexities in life, so if you are wondering how stress and oral health complications are related, you aren’t the only one.

When you go for your next oral health check-up with renowned clinics like Lakeview Dental, you need to ask your dentist about the connection. Trust us when we say this, your mind is about to be blown.

Until you get a more professional outlook, we have sorted some of the important factors that define how stress directly impacts one’s oral health.

Gum disease and stress

There is a correlation between the advent of gum disease and stress that not many of us are aware of. Studies indicate that stress increases the risks and susceptibility of one suffering from gum disease. For example, elevated stress compromises the immune system’s functioning, which, in turn, can elevate the risks of gum infections.

Surprisingly, people who have suffered from issues like infections, especially gum infections, can later suffer from gingivitis when the situation is left untreated. This explains why stress and gum disease are interconnected.

Canker sores and stress

Another common oral health complication that results from stress is the advent of canker sores. These ulcers are generally a manifestation of stress. To be fair, we don’t know the exact cause yet but some reports depict the connection between canker sores and stress.

It is believed that people who are often stressed more are at elevated risks of developing canker sores and other oral lesion complications and ulcers in the mouth.

Unhealthy habits and stress

Stress has direct ties with the manifestation of unhealthy habits, which further impact one’s oral health. For example, when you are stressed, there are heightened chances of you reaching for a smoke or a drink. These, in the short term, might not showcase relevant changes but they do have significant impacts in the long run.

Poor habits like these will not only impact one’s physical health but have equally bad impacts on one’s dental or oral health.

Salivary flow and stress

If you are under stress, it can have a direct impact on the salivary flow. This is something that not many people want to believe. However, saliva production significantly reduces when you are stressed.

And, with the reduced salivary production, you are at heightened risk of infections and other oral health complications.

Stress might not have a direct impact on one’s oral health. However, if you don’t pay attention to it in the long run, it can degrade your oral health in the long run. Ideally, you want to find ways to regulate the stress so it doesn’t end up taking a toll on your mental well-being and dental health too.