Is There Any Link Between Stress and Oral Health?

Stress and anxiety have become a common part of our daily lives. Stress and anxiety are part and parcel of life. In fact, stress is essential for our survival. Stress is the body’s way of responding to any kind of demand. It helps us to cope with challenging situations. However, if it persists over a long period of time, it can have a negative impact on our health.

Sometimes, your body can react to anxiety or tension by producing too much cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone that your body uses to respond to stressful situations. While some people experience positive side effects from cortisol, such as feeling energetic and focused, others may experience unwanted consequences. For instance, elevated cortisol can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Too much stress can also result in issues in your mouth, such as bad breath, dry mouth, and gum disease.

Relationship Between Stress And Oral Health

The relationship between stress and your oral health is complex and involves a number of factors, such as the type of stress you’re under, the duration of your stress, and the part of the body that is experiencing the stress.

For example, some studies have shown that people with chronic stress have higher instances of oral disease than those who don’t have chronic stress. On the other hand, other studies have shown that those who experience higher stress actually have better overall health than those with less stressful situations. So it’s unclear whether or not there’s a direct connection between stress and your oral health.

Regardless of the connection, it’s clear that stress can have serious effects on your overall health. This can affect everything from your immune system to your blood pressure—and, ultimately, your body’s ability to keep your mouth healthy. This means that any effect stress has on your oral health has the potential to be significant. For example, if you’re going through a stressful period, you may be more likely to neglect your oral hygiene habits or skip regular visits to the dentist. This can lead to an increased risk of cavities, gum disease, and more. In addition, if your immune system isn’t functioning properly due to being stressed, you might not notice the initial signs of an oral infection until it’s too late. This could leave you with severe pain and an incredibly high bill for dental care services.

The best way to prevent these serious consequences caused by too much stress is to make sure you’re taking good care of yourself. This includes getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining an active social life. All of these things can help relieve some of your stress and help you regain the ability to focus on the most important things in your life. If you find that you still aren’t handling stress well, don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor for recommendations for how to move forward.

Our dental office specializes in general dentistry as well as cosmetic dental services for the entire family. 

At 5th Ave Smile, our experienced team provides the best dental care for patients in Aurora, CO. To schedule an appointment, call (303) 360-7462 or visit our office at 2044 Clinton St. Suite B, Aurora, CO 80010.