How much can stress really do to affect your smile? You might be surprised to find that tense periods in your life can be a real factor when it comes to maintaining your oral health. The changes we make when enduring periods of stress are often not good for our teeth. For example, many individuals turn to comfort foods that are less healthy, or rely on quick meals and snacks that are less nutritious. Over time, this can lead to your smile being exposed to more sugar, and that can lead to cavity troubles. This is one of several issues that may be linked to stress. Our Rochester, MN dentist’s office helps patients maintain their dental health through regular dental exams, and we can provide guidance if you want to do a better job caring for your teeth at home.
The Physical Effects Of Stress Can Affect Your Smile
Certain effects from stress can have a more direct effect on your smile than others. For example, you may have a harder time preventing problems because stress leads to periods of dry mouth. Dry mouth sufferers produce less saliva, which means that they have a harder time naturally fighting oral bacteria and keeping their teeth clean. You may also have experience physical wear and tear on teeth because of teeth grinding. This habit can lead to permanent damage that can hurt your smile, which may make cosmetic dental work necessary to restore your appearance.
Are You Sticking To Good Oral Health Habits?
In difficult or stressful times, you may unknowingly change your habits in ways that hurt your oral health. This can be due to changes in your diet, but many people have a harder time keeping up with good brushing and flossing habits. If you feel too tired to brush before bed on certain nights, or if you are too distracted to brush and floss thoroughly, you can be vulnerable to plaque and tartar accumulation that threatens to result in cavities and gum disease.
The Importance Of Keeping Your Smile In Good Condition
Keeping your smile healthy can be good for your confidence, and your well-being. It also ensures that you will not have to make time out of a busy schedule to see your dentist! While stress can be hard to avoid at some points in everyone’s lives, making your smile a priority in these periods can help you avoid problems that lead to new stress.
Calcagno Cosmetic And Family Dentistry Can Help Rochester, MN Families Protect Their Smiles
Calcagno Cosmetic And Family Dentistry is prepared to help patients keep their teeth in good condition through consistent preventive care. When necessary, we are also ready to help by offering a range of restorative and cosmetic services. To find out more, call our Rochester, MN dentist’s office at (507) 281-3659.
