Lot’s of us are feeling the pressure of lockdown and the ongoing pandemic. If you’re working from home, you might miss the company of being in the office, and you might be struggling to look after your kids at the same time. Combine all of this with the constant negativity on the news, it is no wonder that we’re all feeling significantly more stressed.
How does stress affect our oral health?
Unfortunately, stress can have a detrimental effect on our bodies – even on our teeth and gums. We’re going to outline some of the common symptoms, and offer some advice to help.
Bruxism
One of the biggest issues for our teeth which comes from stress is grinding. Although grinding can happen when we’re angry and tense up, it happens more often whilst we are sleeping. This makes it more difficult for us to control – so one of our only choices is to reduce our stress levels.
Leaving this bruxism to continue can create a number of issues for our teeth, and the worst-case scenario can lead to breaking them with the force. This is only likely to happen to teeth which are already weakened.
Ongoing tooth grinding can cause wear on the enamel. The enamel protects the soft inner section of our teeth, so if this is damaged, we are more susceptible to decay and sensitivity.
Eating More Sugar
Another result of feeling stressed is that we are probably more likely to snack on something sweet and reach for a cake or biscuit to cheer ourselves up – at least for a little bit. There is the irony that food which makes us feel comforted is usually anything but good for our teeth.
Our general health can suffer from overeating sugar foods with problems like weight gain and diabetes. Eating sugary foods more often not only increases our risk of developing a cavity but also our risk of developing gum disease too. If we don’t properly brush and floss away the plaque left by sugary foods, our gums can end up sore and inflamed.
Tips for Relieving Stress During Lockdown
- Limit the news. You can keep up to date with the latest advice on keeping safe and minimising the spread of the virus, but try not to obsess over every report.
- Limit your time on social media. Whilst there are some positive effects from staying in touch, consider a phone call instead. Social media platforms can be full of anger and incorrect information.
- Keep active. This is a sure way to battle at least some of the stress. Stick to the government guidelines, but make sure you get one walk in a day at a minimum. If you can take a walk by the coast, woodland or somewhere natural it will be even better.
- Meditation and mindfulness. Meditation can be very useful to help switch off. Make sure you are wearing soft clothes and sitting comfortably to practice this. You can use online videos or audio recordings to guide you.
- Get creative. Consider painting, reading, writing, or something similar. Doing this will take your mind off the situation and give you some time to escape the stress.
With everything else going on, the last thing you need is the added stress of a dental issue. If you have any issues you want checking, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we will do our best to assist you.
