Dental News

Can Anxiety Disorders Have an Impact on Your Teeth?

March 7, 2017

Can Anxiety Disorders Have an Impact on Your Teeth?

When it comes to improving your oral health, the best possible thing you can do is to brush and floss regularly. A close second is visiting your dentist twice a year for dental exam and cleaning. Unfortunately, the truth is that no matter how well you brush and how often you see your dentist, there are some factors that can affect your dental health. The important thing is to be aware of them. That’s why we’re here today to show you how anxiety disorders can affect oral health.

A wide range of anxiety disorders can cause dental issues

First of all, let’s clarify what we meant by anxiety disorders. We’re talking about any type of phobia, panic attack, post-traumatic stress disorder (otherwise known as PTSD), or generalized anxiety. These are all serious issues and they can negatively impact your oral health.

The link between anxiety disorders and oral health issues

The oral health issues that are most common with people who have anxiety include canker sores, burning mouth syndrome, disorders of the temporomandibular joint, dry mouth, and Lichen Planus, which generally presents at lacy white lines, mouth ulcers, or read areas in the mouth.

Anxiety often takes priority over oral health

In addition to the above issues, a person who’s dealing with anxiety may simply not have the mental health space to regularly keep up on their brushing and flossing. This of course can lead to more cavities, a higher chance of gum disease, and grinding their teeth (otherwise known as bruxism).

Medications may complicate things as well

There are also some medications that can make these issues worse. This is particularly true of any medication that’s known to cause dry mouth because saliva is there for a reason – to protect your teeth. Without enough saliva, your chances of tooth decay and gum disease are much higher.

If you’re taking medication that actually makes you sick, then the vomit could be eroding the enamel on your teeth while causing tooth decay. Other medications may increase bleeding or cause anemia, which can both have negative impacts on your oral health.

What to do if you have anxiety

Does this mean that if you have anxiety you must simply give up on having good oral health? Of course not. The first step is tell your dentist about your condition. The more we know, the more careful we can be to ensure that any extra help you need is there for you.

If you’re worried that your anxiety is getting in the way of having a happy smile, then we urge you to call California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 right away. We are compassionate, experienced, and here to help you in any way we can. Whether you’ve been at a dentist recently, or your phobia has kept you away for a decade, we can help. Call us today at (800) 407-0161 and let’s work together to help you feel more comfortable.

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