Most people cannot escape stressful situations. Even if you are not prone to worrying or experiencing anxious feelings, at some point in your life, you’ve felt stressed. Although not uncommon, it can have dangerous effects on your mind, body, and even your oral health. Wait…your smile can be impacted? Yes! Before you begin to think about the notion of living with dentures or other artificial restorations, a dentist in Myrtle Beach explains the connection between the two and what you can do to minimize the stress in your life while improving your smile.
Stress and Your Smile: How One Can Hurt the Other
Your smile isn’t the first thing you probably think of when you consider how stress impacts your life. Unfortunately, the feelings of worry and anxiety can take a significant toll on your teeth and gums if you’re not careful. But how?
When stress builds, it can cause physical and emotional symptoms to develop, including headaches, stomach pain, and anxiety. If you pay close attention, you will also begin to notice a change in your smile, too. Some of the most common dental problems related to stress include:
- Chronic Jaw Pain/TMJ: The temporomandibular joints are what make it possible for you to open and close your mouth. As you experience additional stress in your life, you may find yourself tensing up and grinding or clenching your teeth. This puts pressure on your jaw joints and muscles and can become painful over time.
- Bruxism: Individuals with TMJ often also face problems with bruxism (teeth grinding/clenching). This practice causes the enamel of your teeth to become worn more quickly. You may not even realize you’re doing it, especially if it occurs while sleeping.
- Cold Sores: Although unsightly to see, these unpleasant formations on your lips can be easily brought on by stress.
- Poor Oral Hygiene: When you’re stressed, you may be less likely to take care of your oral health. If brushing, flossing, and rinsing are not regularly performed, you become more vulnerable to tooth decay, gum disease, and other serious dental problems.
- Gum Disease: Stress causes the body’s immune system to weaken. As a result, it is unable to fight off infection. Should gum disease begin to attack your soft tissue, you may begin to notice bleeding gums.
Ways to Improve Your Smile and Wellbeing
As detrimental as stress can be on your health and wellbeing, the good news is that there are things you can do to remedy the problem. The first step is to identify things in your life causing you to worry or become anxious and find ways to relax and cope with these stressors. You might try:
- Talking to a licensed counselor
- Going on a long walk or taking a warm bath
- Getting a massage or looking into physical therapy
But when it comes to your oral health, your dentist in Myrtle Beach will be the best person to help you regain your smile and reduce your stress. Scheduling an appointment to talk about your treatment options is a great way to begin the process. Depending on the problems occurring within your mouth, he can offer a wide array of services as well as tips and advice to put you on the right track. Some of these might include:
- TMJ and Malocclusion Therapy
- Dental Crown Placement
- The NTI Tension Suppression System
- Scaling and Root Planing to treat gum disease
- Tooth-Colored Fillings
No matter what service or treatment you receive, trust that your dentist is going to make sure you have the tools you need to improve your wellbeing. Whether it is replacing bad habits with new ones, talking to a mental health professional, seeking a new exercise routine, or improving your at-home oral hygiene, he will provide encouragement, motivation, and expertise to help you maintain a longer-lasting smile.
About the Author
Dr. Jack Markusen served in the United States Air Force in 1968, as an airborne
electronics technician. Honorably discharged in 1971, he went on to the Medical
University of South Carolina, School of Dentistry, and graduated in 1976. Dr.
Markusen and his team strive to offer patients the best solutions for a better
smile. Whether it is poor oral hygiene, dental trauma, or stress that is
causing significant problems to develop, he can employ the right treatment
methods to get your oral health and overall wellbeing back on track. If you
need help to reduce your stress levels and minimize the impact on your smile,
visit our website or call
(843) 916-0990.