Stress Can Wreak Havoc on Your Smile, Says Albuquerque, NM Dentist

Most people encounter stress at some point in their lifetime. Children, jobs, and relationships, in general, can cause great stress; if it’s managed poorly, stress can begin to affect your health. Moreover, stress takes a huge toll upon your oral health and can lead to detrimental conditions such as teeth grinding. For this reason, your Albuquerque, NM dentist highlights which issues arise from stress—should patients experience similar problems.

Stress Can Affect Your Oral Health Negatively

• Mouth sores. People often say that stress causes ulcers and canker sores to fall into that category. These mini oral ulcers have a white or gray ring that borders a red spot. Should you have one, avoid hot and spicy foods or beverages. The sore should disappear on its own within ten days.
• Teeth grinding. Unfortunately, teeth grinding tends to happen when people sleep. Additionally, stress tends to worsen teeth grinding. Oftentimes, patients who grind their teeth wake up in the morning with terrible headaches and jaw pain from the nighttime habit. Those who notice cracks, chips, and tooth erosion should visit Albuquerque, NM dentist quickly. An untreated tooth grinding habit could cause you to develop the temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).
• Declining oral hygiene. Patients under an extreme amount of stress tend to skimp on oral hygiene. For example, people may begin to forget to maintain sound teeth cleaning regimen. Without proper care, your mouth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, which leads to oral diseases. Regardless of stress level, brushing, flossing, and rinsing can’t falter.
• Gum disease. When you’re stressed plaque build-up increases—even if the stress only lasts a short period of time. Plaque then becomes tartar, which only a hygienist can remove with specialized tools. As far as long-term effects go, the excess tartar and plaque cause patients to develop gingivitis. This tends to progress to the more advanced stages of gum disease. Therefore, if you’re under high levels of stress, take care to do stress relief exercises. Furthermore, pay close attention to your diet since it’s another key factor in oral health.

Snow Park Dental Offers Treatment for Teeth Grinders

If you think you may suffer from teeth grinding, visit your Albuquerque, NM dentist as soon as possible. With treatment, the dentist can relieve your bruxism symptoms. To schedule an appointment, call us at (505) 596-4479. Also, visit our website to view the smile gallery, print patient forms, and read reviews from loyal patients. We look forward to treating families from Rio Rancho, Corrales, Edgewood, Tijeras, Los Lunas, and surrounding communities.

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