The festive season is a time for joy, spending time with family and friends, and sharing gifts with the people you love. However, with all the planning involved for events or looking for presents and preparing feasts, this can cause some holiday stress for many people. Other than your overall well-being, feeling overwhelmed can also negatively impact your oral health. Keep reading to learn how stress can affect your smile and ways to protect your teeth.
Teeth Grinding
Chronic teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is one of the most common reactions to stress or tension. You might develop this habit either consciously during the waking hours or while sleeping. Doing this constantly can increase your risk of chips/cracks in your teeth, headaches, and jaw pain. If you’re experiencing bruxism during rest, you’ll want to speak with your dentist about personalized mouthguards to wear throughout the night. If you do this while awake, make sure to find ways to break this habit or seek professional assistance to help address the underlying contributing factors.
Canker Sores
Another typical stress reaction is the development of canker sores. These can form around your mouth, usually on your cheeks and gums. While they aren’t contagious and generally recover by themselves within a week, they can be quite uncomfortable. Try rinsing your mouth with salt water to help clean and disinfect the area. You can also take over-the-counter products for addressing canker sores, which are typically available at your local pharmacy and grocery store.
Dry Mouth
Saliva plays a crucial part in keeping your mouth clean from debris, food particles, and bacteria. This is because it lubricates your teeth and gums, which makes it difficult for germs to accumulate and form plaque. However, stress can end up drying out your mouth, leaving your smile vulnerable to bacteria. To avoid this, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to remain hydrated. You can even help promote saliva production by chewing on sugar-free gum as well as rinsing with mouthwash specifically made to treat dry mouth.
While you might feel overwhelmed during the holidays, this shouldn’t mean you can’t find joy during the celebrations. Keep your stress responses in mind and practice the above tips so that you and your smile can stay in great shape this season and beyond!
About the Author
Dr. Xiang Dorothy Dunker is passionate about helping others maintain and improve their pearly whites with exceptional dental care. She graduated from Case Western Reserve University and is a member of various organizations, including the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. If you’d like to know how to care for your smile during the holidays or need to schedule an appointment, visit our website or give us a call at 740-392-6156.