How stress damages teeth

How stress damages teeth

• Written by  Blessing Ekum

Besides chewing and biting, our teeth are one of the major focal points of our faces. When we smile, we draw attention to the teeth and like most experts have said, our teeth say a lot about us, giving insight into hygiene, tobacco, alcohol or coffee intake, and so forth.

Poor oral health can be a source of embarrassment and psychological discomfort and discoloured or damaged teeth usually give a not-to-positive impression.

This might explain why most people covert white, perfectly shaped teeth and healthy gums.

But did you know that what you may just need for impeccable oral health is to cut out on stress or at least learn how to effectively manage it.

Stress is a major culprit for a myriad of health problems and could present symptoms that range from headaches, palpitations, sweaty palms, muscular tension, panic attacks to more serious conditions, such as heart problems, skin and reproductive malfunctions, when experienced for a prolonged period. However, research has now shown that stress also impacts negatively on oral health.

While there are direct effects, there are also indirect routes through which stress affects oral health. These indirect routes are evident in inappropriate lifestyle choices such as excessive alcohol or tobacco intake as a result of stressful situations. These substances then damage the teeth.

Imbuing stress management skills is therefore important to maintaining good oral health..........