Feb
If a visit to a dentist end with the dental professional telling you that stress could be leading to your gum disease, don’t take it with a grain of salt. It is likely that the dentist has ruled out other factors and has linked your new gum disease or worsening of the infection to your stress levels. It is difficult to weigh just how badly stress could be affecting your body. Therefore, you need to make the twice-yearly visits to a dentist a priority in order to have early detection of worsening oral problems or new oral issues creeping in.
Stress tends to wear down your immune system, and allows the harmful bacteria in the mouth to seize the opportunity to damage your gums. You end up with gingivitis, the earliest stage of the infection. If not checked, gingivitis worsens to become a periodontal disease.
People with stress tend to have bad choices regarding their health, including eating unhealthy foods like starch and sugary foods. They are also more likely to pay less attention to their oral hygiene routine. Medications for chronic stress can also risk dry mouth. A dry mouth inhibits your saliva production. Without sufficient saliva flow, bacteria remain in the mouth where they begin to cause gum infection and decay. Saliva is a natural mouth cleanser and is able to sweep away bacteria and food leftovers from the mouth and teeth, reducing the damaging bacteria and acids.
Even as you seek treatment for gum disease, it is crucial you avoid stress. A dentist can perform gum disease treatments like scaling and planing to remove bacterial plaque and tartar. Antibiotics may also be placed in the gum pockets to kill bacteria and stop an infection.
While at home, do exercises to avert stress. Get enough sleep and eat a healthy diet.
It is also crucial you avoid caffeine and alcohol because stressed people like to fall for these beverages. Chew sugarless gum to promote saliva production. Also, meditate so as to avoid stress hitting on your oral health. Visit us today if you are stressed and your oral health is worsening. We will offer solutions to stop gum disease and prevent it from recurring.
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