Stress and dental problems

  1. Do you know what is stress? It is body's reaction to stimulus when there is no scope of tolerance and this body's reaction is manifested by altering the normal functioning of the body. So there is the effect on heart, stomach, bowels, perspiration, brain and moods 
  2. However one must have never paid any heed to the effect of stress on the teeth though one must have realised. Stress too has an effect on teeth. Look how?
  3. Stress causes wear of teeth enamel due to the grinding of teeth. So there is a loss of sound tooth structure on enamel and weaning of dental architecture
  4. Stress causes an alteration in the secretion of saliva .so our mouth dries and we feel soreness in mucosa of tongue, cheeks and lips .this itself disturbs the concentration of enzymes like salivary amylase that digest glucose the moment we eat .so in long run , glucose remains undigested in mouth and invites bacteria and microorganisms beyond the limit. Then the same colonial microbes now become pathogens and start forming lysing enzymes thereby increasing dissolution of the enamel.
  5. As we all know saliva has antibacterial properties and in stress for a prolonged time, this property is lost, so there is more chance of the tooth becoming carious when the food particles are not removed thoroughly from the cavity
  6. Stress weakens the periodontal fibres that connect tooth with surrounding structures and as a result, if the patient is having the problem of periodontitis, then chances are more of tooth exfoliation
  7. In children, stress causes deflection in the normal oral environment in which the tooth erupts, so more chances of malocclusion
  8. Cheek biting, lip-smacking is not just parafunctional habits but are as a result of stress too
  9. prolonged stress causes an increase in indigestion, so vomitus can cause dental erosions 
  10.  Lastly, it can be said stress is killer of a sound oral environment and hence the teeth!