Teeth grinding can be caused by a number of triggers, but the most common trigger is stress. When you are stressed, you may unconsciously clench your teeth while you sleep or grind your jaw back and forth. Over time, teeth grinding can cause your teeth to wear down or chip, and it can also wear out your TMJ.
A crack can occur from injury or general wear and tear caused by grinding or clenching ones' teeth – a symptom of stress.
Ongoing poor oral hygiene is a common reason why a tooth chips for no apparent reason. Cavities and decay weaken enamel and undermine the integrity of tooth structure. You may not notice any changes in your teeth until you get a sudden chip. Reduce your risk of tooth chipping by brushing twice a day for two minutes.
So, can stress or anxiety cause your teeth to shift/move? The answer is a resounding YES! If feeling stressed or anxious causes you to develop bruxism, over time the regular grinding and clenching of your teeth and the subsequent pressure on them could cause them to alter position slightly.
Too much stress can cause problems with your mouth, teeth, and gums. You can take some steps to keep yourself healthy, though. While you work on lowering your stress levels, try these tips to improve trouble spots like mouth sores and teeth grinding.
During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), mouth sores and gum disease. If you're feeling tense or anxious, you should keep a watchful eye for signs of the following stress-related disorders.
Dental anxiety is fear, anxiety or stress associated with a dental setting. Being scared to visit the dentist can result in delaying or avoiding dental treatment. Things like needles, drills or the dental setting in general can trigger dental anxiety.
Oral anxiety isn't being stressed, anxious, or depressed about your oral health. Instead, oral anxiety is the effects these mental health problems end up having on your oral health. This is especially true if you struggle with depression.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Oral Health
Because our teeth are made of bones, it is logical that the amount of vitamin D one consumes is important for their oral health. Lack of vitamin D can lead to dental caries, and weak or brittle teeth that easily break, chip, and crack.
Multiple factors like acidic/sugary diets, poor nutrition, dental procedures, and personal habits can contribute to weakened teeth. Managing brittle teeth involves good oral hygiene, avoiding acidic/sugary foods, proper nutrition, and seeking dental treatment.
Tooth erosion happens when acids wear away the enamel on teeth. Enamel erosion can be caused by the following: Having too many soft drinks, which have lots of phosphoric and citric acids. Bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, and they make acids that can eat away at enamel.
Although chipping a tooth is common, it is mostly preventable. Minimize your chances of chipping a tooth by: Taking care of your dental health - maintaining proper dental hygiene is key to preventing chipped teeth.
Your Diet – Beverages and foods that are high in starch, sugar or are acidic could erode your dental enamel weakening the protective covering of your tooth. A tooth with weakened enamel may be damaged easily when eating harder or crunchy foods, which could result in a chipped tooth.
Can Dentists tell if you have depression? Dentists are trained to look for signs of depression, but they are not mental health professionals. However, some telltale signs may indicate that a person is struggling with depression. For example, people who are depressed may have trouble taking care of their teeth.
According to researchers, anywhere between 50 and 80% of adults in the United States have some degree of dental anxiety, ranging from mild to severe. More than 20% of dentally anxious patients do not see a dentist regularly, and anywhere from 9 to 15% of anxious patients avoid care altogether.
The most commonly prescribed dental related drugs that treat anxiety belong to the “benzodiazepine” family. Drugs such as Valium, Halcion, Xanax, or Ativan. These drugs decrease anxiety by binding and toning down activity within “fear” receptors in the brain.
Pain. Far and away the number one factor in dental phobia, pain provides a two-fold problem for patients afraid of visiting the dentist. On one hand, any past painful experience is seared in the memory – and unlikely to go away anytime soon.
Patients who are anxious about visiting the dentist often avoid their cleaning appointments and exams, letting their oral health issues go untreated for long periods of time. As such, dental phobia can have a significant negative impact on oral health, often leading to tooth loss and the development of gum disease.
For some it is the loss of control which is most feared, for others it is the fear of pain. Generally, but not always, dental phobias generally develop from childhood, where a traumatic experience may have left us with feelings of anxiety about going to the dentist.
As mentioned, many people clench their jaw and teeth when anxious. Sometimes it's due to muscle tension, and other times because of a habit. Chronic teeth clenching can cause pain in the mouth, jaw, and teeth, which can radiate to the ears and sinuses.
Antidepressants – this range of medicines can cause dry mouth and increase the risk of tooth decay. Antihistamines – can cause dry mouth and an increased risk of gum problems. Antihypertensives (taken to reduce blood pressure) – can lead to an increased risk of gum swelling and overgrowth.
Dentists probably aren't even aware of whether patients have their eyes open or closed, or if they have one eye open and one eye closed. All that really matters is that dentists keep their eyes open. And get a good night's sleep before using that drill.
On the other side, side effects from mental illness can lead to dental diseases like enamel erosion, cavities, and gum disease.