Are your teeth and gum problems caused by stress?

Since the beginning of Covid-19, 65% of Adults in the UK have openly admitted that they are stressed. This is something that we often avoid talking about, or sometimes don’t even realise ourselves, but it’s definitely worth acknowledging. Stress and oral health have a strong link as well. Teeth grinding, nail-biting or a burning mouth are all considered stress-related oral problems and they can cause serious consequences.

If you are stressed, you can be prone to getting infections, particularly in your teeth and gums. Canker sores and a dry mouth are examples of oral conditions that worsen during times of restlessness. In our latest article we are going to discuss how stress impacts your gums and teeth and what you can do to avoid these issues.

Teeth Grinding

Grinding your teeth at night? Chances are, you might be experiencing stress. This means sliding your teeth back and forth over each other. Other causes might be having misaligned teeth or sleep apnea. Whatever the reason is, grinding your teeth should never be ignored as it can cause more serious problems over time. It can lead to several chronic issues such as jaw pain, broken or chipped teeth, sleep disorders and headaches. Custom night guards will help treat the symptoms and most importantly protect your teeth from the damage grinding causes to them.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are highly linked with anxiety and stress but the exact cause hasn’t been discovered yet. However, they appear more frequently during high levels of stress and are more common in women. As there is no confirmation that they are caused through stress and anxiety, other causes may be from brushing too hard, allergic reactions, mouth injuries, sports accidents, cheek bites, and toothpastes containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). One method to help avoid these is to keep an eye on your Vitamin B levels to make sure you aren’t lacking.

Gum Disease

It’s a well known fact that gum disease is linked to stress. When your body is unable to create new cells to protect against bacteria, this results in a weak immune system. As a result, bacteria have the chance to thrive, causing a state of inflammation. In severe cases, periodontal disease can lead to sore, bleeding gums, painful chewing problems, and even tooth loss. If you notice that your gums bleed regularly during brushing, book an appointment with your dentist immediately – it is the main symptom of gum disease.

Neglected Oral Hygiene

Neglecting ourselves and our health is very common when we aren’t feeling our best. If we don’t get enough sleep we don’t have the energy to shower, never mind having the motivation to brush or floss our teeth. Stress also affects our choices in food, prompting us to eat more sugary foods, which can cause extreme damage to our oral health, especially if you don’t give your mouth the attention it needs.

Dealing with Stress

The first step is to be honest with yourself. Are you handling your stress well? If you’re not, you need to decide how to decrease it and get rid of it in a healthy manner. It’s definitely not something that you have to do on your own. Talk to your local GP who will provide you with the information you need in order to recognise and treat stress and anxiety. Meditation apps like Headspace can also help you to reduce stress, even when used for only 10 minutes per day. Dentists can also offer tools like mouth guards that could help you protect your teeth from damage and get better sleep.

Take care of your teeth and gums with Floe

In order to look after your oral health, it is vital that you do everything you can to keep your teeth and gums healthy. That might mean you need to switch up your toothpaste or toothbrush brand. Do you know if your toothpaste contains fluoride? Fluoride makes the enamel of your teeth harder and more resistant to acid wear which makes it the key mineral for fighting decay. The way you brush, and what type of manual brush you choose to use is equally as important.

Our subscription box includes:

• A brand new Curaprox brush -with over 5000 soft bristles, gives unrivalled cleaning coverage,to remove plaque more effectively.
• Dawn toothpaste -designed to whiten using natural ingredients that are kind to your enamel. SLS Free.
• Dusk toothpaste – suited to the needs of your mouth in the morning and evening. SLS Free.
• Activated charcoal natural floss – made from bamboo charcoal fibres – effective flossing at a price that doesn’t cost the earth.

Achieving healthy teeth takes a lifetime of care and your everyday habits are crucial to your overall oral health. Start your new everyday habits with Floe today.