Stress is omnipotent. It has great power – to damage, destroy, and disturb. Do you know that stress can damage your smile too? Not sure about it? Let me explain.

What do you do when you are stressed? You do a lot of things but it almost always begins with ignoring your health. You ignore regular oral care. This makes the mouth susceptible to various dental problems and gum diseases.

Some people grind their teeth when stressed, This, as you know, is a bad dental habit. It causes you teeth to chip or break.

Many take to smoking and drinking in order to de-stress. This increases the chances of being affected by gum diseases and other dental problems.

Now, let me talk about some direct affects of stress. Stress causes dry mouth, attaracting bacteria. Stress is also responsible for canker sores, burning mouth, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), and myofacial pain dysfunction (MPD).

If you have been stressed for too long, you body loses the power to fight infections, making you prone to the gum diseases – gingivitis and periodontitis.

Even the typical cure from stress can cause problems. Some anti-depressants and stress-relieving medicine can cause dry mouth. One of the side effects of such medication is vomiting which can cause erosion of the teeth enamel.

I know avoiding stress is not easy but you have to learn to fight it back. Try smiling at people when you are stressed. Your smile will not only help you feel better but also help others smile.

Keep smiling!

Tags: stress