Stress is something most people experience often, and some people even experience it daily or all the time. If you are going through a stressful situation, you should know that the stress you have may affect your body, mind, and even your mouth. Stress does affect oral health, and here are some things to understand about the effects it may have.

Stress increases chances of grinding your teeth

Did you know that when stress levels in your body are high, you are a lot more likely to grind your teeth and clench your jaw? This is the body's natural way of responding to stress, and things similar to stress, and responding in this way is something that can damage your teeth. Grinding of the teeth is a habit many people have, even when they are not experiencing stress, but it is not a good thing. Grinding can cause your teeth to wear down faster and can lead to enamel erosion of the teeth. Grinding also tends to place a lot of pressure on the jaw, leaving it sore, and grinding is also something that can increase your risks of cavities.

Stress may increase your chances of developing canker sores

Secondly, there is evidence that suggests that high levels of stress can lead to an increase in canker sores in the mouth. While canker sores are not really bad for your oral health, they can be annoying and painful, and they can be hard to eliminate. If you are suffering from more canker sores than usual, it could be your body's response to the stress you are experiencing in your life.

Stress often leads to lack of motivation

The other thing to understand about stress is that living with too much stress tends to affect a person's motivation and drive. When you have no motivation or drive in life, it can affect your oral health because you might not take care of your teeth and mouth as well during this time. If you lack all motivation to do things, you might forget to brush and floss your teeth. This normal daily habit might not be important to you at this time, and if this occurs, your teeth and mouth will suffer as a result.

If you are going through a very stressful time in life, it is absolutely vital for you to pay extra attention to your teeth and gums if you want to prevent issues. If you have questions about this or need to schedule a checkup, call dental clinics like Family & Cosmetic Dentistry today.