How Stress Affects Your Mouth

Excess stress may give you a headache, a stomachache, or just a feeling of being "on edge." But too much stress could also be doing a number on your mouth, teeth, gums, and overall health.
The potential fallout from stress and anxiety that can affect your oral health includes:

• Mouth sores, including canker sores and cold sores
• Clenching of teeth and teeth grinding (bruxism)
• Poor oral hygiene and unhealthy eating routines
• Periodontal (gum) disease or worsening of existing periodontal disease

So how can you prevent these oral health problems?

Mouth Sores

Canker sores -- small ulcers with a white or grayish base and bordered in red -- appear inside the mouth, sometimes in pairs or even greater numbers. Although experts aren't sure what causes them -- it could be immune system problems, bacteria, or viruses -- they do think that stress, as well as fatigue and allergies, can increase the risk of getting them. Canker sores are not contagious.

Most canker sores disappear in a week to 10 days. For relief from the irritation, try over-the-counter topical anesthetics. To reduce irritation, don't eat spicy, hot foods or foods with a high acid content, such as tomatoes or citrus fruits.

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are contagious. Cold sores are fluid-filled blisters that often appear on or around the lips, but can also crop up under the nose or around the chin area.

Emotional upset can trigger an outbreak. So can a fever, a sunburn, or skin abrasion.

Like canker sores, fever blisters often heal on their own in a week or so. Treatment is available, including over-the-counter remedies and prescription antiviral drugs. Ask your doctor or dentist if you could benefit from either. It's important to start treatment as soon as you notice the cold sore forming.

Teeth Grinding

Stress may make you clench and grind your teeth -- during the day or at night, and often unconsciously. Teeth grinding is also known as bruxism.

If you already clench and grind your teeth, stress could make the habit worse. And, grinding your teeth can lead to problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), located in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet.

See your doctor and ask what can be done for the clenching and grinding. Your dentist may recommend a night guard, worn as you sleep, or another appliance to help you stop or minimize the actions.

4 Great Reasons To Have Regular Dental Check-ups

While a lot of people may not love going to the dentist, regular dental check-ups are essential to good health.  Many people feel that a regular cleaning and exam appointment is "optional" compared to a trip to the general practitioner.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, only 69 percent of men and women over the age of 18 had their teeth cleaned in 2008.  That means about 30% of the population is skipping the dentist!

Here is a list of some non-tooth related health conditions that may be spotted or prevented by the dentist (or go undiagnosed if you skip an appointment).

• Heart Disease - A new study from researchers at Berkeley found that those who make regular visits to the dentist a priority may reduce their risk of heart disease by one-third.  People who have chronic infections in their oral cavity are at a higher risk for heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease.  When you have an infection around your gums and teeth, it gets into your blood, thickens the vessels and narrows them.  If you have a family history of heart disease, it's very important to be vigilant about oral health.
• Oral Cancer - Every time you have your teeth cleaned, the dentist and hygienist are doing a visual and manual inspection looking for swollen or red areas, ulcerated areas and anything that looks out of the ordinary.  Often times these oral cancers are asymptomatic and the dentist can bring it to your attention.  People who are at especially high risk are smokers and anyone who consumes more than one alcoholic beverage on a daily basis.
• Diabetes - The condition of your teeth and gums may point to diabetes.  There is a definite cause and effect between diabetes and oral health.  Diabetes reduces your body's ability to fight infection-causing gum and teeth issues, and gum disease also makes it hard to control your diabetes.  If you have a family history of diabetes or are a diabetic I suggest talking to your dentist, who may recommend that you have cleanings three or four times a year.  The key thing to remember is that for most of the things that can go wrong with your mouth, it's much less expensive to get regular cleanings than it is to get major procedures such as crowns and root canals later.
• Nutritional Needs - By looking at your tongue and gums, the dentist may be able to tell if you are lacking in certain vitamins and nutrients.  One thing we look for is a pale tongue, which may indicate an iron deficiency.

Overall, seeing your dentist can save you money over time by catching things early as well as helping you stay healthier.  Your dentist is not only concerned about healthy teeth and gums but your overall health.  See your dentist at least twice a year for regular cleanings and exams.