Stress & Dental Health- A Major Concern For Everyone!

Stress affects the general body’s immune system and a significant cause of teeth grinding and clenching.

Studies and statistics show that dentists and periodontists have managed to reduce dental issues like tooth decay by 75%. In addition, the reduction in gingivitis and periodontitis have been 80% combated through modern treatments and the precautions to prevent them.

The modern dental solutions such as oral treatments, cosmetic dentistry, and dental implants have surpassed the basic dental care practices by providing excellent and specialized dental treatments to individuals.

Currently, stress-induced dental issues are rising as a challenge in dentistry and dental experts confirm that stress can affect various oral structures including the gums and the teeth in various ways.

Majorly, stress impacts the body’s immunity by increasing the secretion of the endogenous steroids from the suprarenal glands that produce the macrophages by making them lazy and incapable of defending the body and eliminating foreign bodies like bacteria. With this, gingivitis and periodontitis are more likely to occur without expressing the common signs like bleeding and swelling.

Stressed individuals also have higher chances of developing rampant decay (tooth decay), most especially women.


 

Stress & Teeth grinding plus Clinching

On a sad note, a large percentage of grinders and clinchers are unaware that they grind or clench their teeth because this mainly happens while they are asleep though in some cases, this may happen during the day.

Dental experts at the best dental clinic in Ludhiana confirm that clinchers and grinders have 10 to 20 fold increase in the number of masticatory forces and due to grinding and clenching, this increases the upper and the lower teeth contact compared to a stress-free individual.

As a result, spasm, tenderness, fatigue of the muscles of mastication, the muscles of the neck and the face, which leads to frequent headaches most especially in the morning.

Damage to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) will occur and the extent varies from one individual to another.

 

Solutions

Treatment to stress-induced dental problems differ from one patient to another, but possible treatments include physical therapy, muscle relaxers, occlusal night guards and adjustments, temporomandibular joint surgery among others.