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All of us have experienced stress at some point in our life. But when it continues for longer periods of time, it can become a chronic issue affecting your physical and mental health. Stress is known as a silent killer and is linked with a variety of diseases, including heart problems, depression, anxiety, aging, and gastrointestinal issues. According to dentists, stress can also have an impact on your dental health as well. Let’s take a look at how stress can adversely affect your body.

• It leads to poor eating habits.

When you’re stressed, you will end up picking up unhealthy eating habits and add a lot of sugar and other substances to your diet just to draw some level of comfort. The problems with eating sugar are that it can increase the number of bacteria in your mouth, which can then cause cavities.

• Bruxism

Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand, and one of the resulting impacts of stress is teeth grinding or bruxism. While grinding your teeth may offer some kind of comfort, it can also damage your teeth in a number of ways. It can cause your teeth to chip away and your enamel to wear off.

• Hormonal changes

Stress can have a negative impact on the hormones in your body. One of the ways this manifests is the sudden reduction in saliva production. When your mouth is dry, plaque tends to build up on your teeth faster, which can increase the risk of cavities. Less moisture in the mouth can also make your tongue sensitive.

• Leads to bad oral habits

When you’re stressed, you are likely to take up various bad oral habits, which can further have an effect on your overall dental hygiene. This means you could forget regular flossing and brushing properly. 

Dealing with stress is no joke, as wrong decisions can push you into unhealthy practices, which can further damage your teeth and impact your overall oral health.