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Can stress damage my teeth?

Economic recession = gum recession. Lose job = loose teeth. These two analogies have been going through my mind recently, and as it turns out, excessive stress in a person’s life can indeed lead to poor oral health!

It might seem like common sense that stress can take a toll on our health, but often we don’t think about what specific implications stress can have. Recently, Mahesh Verma, principal of the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences said “Growing economic stress among people has a deep damaging impact on teeth and heart. Recent studies have found that financial stress is one of the major cause of increasing dental problems.”

The damage begins when chemical triggers block your immune function, inhibiting your body’s natural defense mechanisms and deplete your teeth-supporting bones of calcium and other necessities for maintaining blood mineral levels. These triggers, brought on by stress (such as an economic recession), can worsen over time and indeed cause gum disease, in addition to a host of other medical maladies!

Properly managing your stress, in combination with a medically sound oral hygiene home plan is essential to avoid falling prey to gum disease. Stay calm, meditate, think peaceful thoughts, and of course brush and floss twice a day! A clean and healthy state of mind can equate to a clean and healthy mouth.