Stress is a common cause of health problems, and your oral health isn’t any different. During stressful experiences, our adrenal glands release the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol to facilitate our nervous system’s ‘fight or flight’ response. However, though useful, during an acute stressful experience, if we are exposed to these hormones for long periods of time they can negatively affect our memory and learning as well as heighten our susceptibility to depression. When it comes to our oral health, high levels of cortisol can lead to many dental problems.
- Dry mouth (xerostomia) – Dry mouth is a side effect of stress and it can be caused by certain medications that are used to treat anxiety, depression and chronic stress. Chronic xerostomia from autoimmune disorders, medications, diet/lifestyle can lead to bad breath (halitosis), a dry/sore throat, tooth decay, gum disease and cracked lips.
To help manage dry mouth, drink water every 30 mins to one hour. You can also chew sugar-free gum or in some cases uses xylitol gum to help stimulate saliva. Talk to your dentist about specifics regarding dry mouth management.
- Teeth grinding (clenching & bruxism) – Clenching or teeth grinding can chip away healthy enamel and can cause sore jaw muscles and headaches. Often times, the root cause of teeth grinding is from poor sleep quality or sleep apnea. While you may think that you are sleeping “well”, take a home sleep test to track your sleep quality – you may be surprised HOW many times you stop breathing throughout the night or how many times you get up to take a breath.
An occlusal guard (night guard) may just “bandage” the symptoms of teeth grinding and clenching. You should be evaluated by a dentist who is trained in airway management and sleep apnea if you want to help to manage the root cause of your night time grinding habits. You may be eligible to wear oral appliances to manage airway and treat the root cause of bruxism! If you are interested in airway dentistry, book a consultation with me and talk to me about your symptoms.
To manage headaches and jaw pains, watch this amazing video on exercises you can do at home to alleviate the pain!
- Gum disease (periodontitis) – When your body is chronically stressed, it can lower your ability to fight infections. Stress can activate inflammatory response in your body. As a result, you have an increased risk of inflamed gums and bleeding. Getting a dental check up to address any gum disease is essential to your overall health. It may also benefit you to find ways to regulate the overall inflammation in your body by talking to your physician about changing our dietary routine and lifestyle.
How can I reduce the amount of inflammation and stress in my body?
“We can take control of our health by being mindful of what we put into our bodies!“
My favorite ways of combat inflammation, include:
- Eat a whole foods plant-based diet: MORE FRUITS and VEGETABLES, eating whole grains & fiber-rich foods, eliminating any dairy or meat product.
- Minimize my gluten intake: While I do not have celiac disease, I personally do not like the way gluten makes me feel when I eat it. Therefore, I have been gluten-free for almost 2 years and have seen my cortisol levels and my inflammation score drop from my body. This was a personal choice and it is not to be substituted for medical advice. I have vegetarian all my life, but only when I eliminated my dairy intake and controlled my gluten intake levels did I actually start to feel better!
- Minimize any refined sugars or processed foods: By focusing on eating the right foods for my body, I started to crave all the good foods (salads, fresh organic fruit etc.) and less of the overly processed junk food (cookies, chips, soda etc.) because my body had gotten all the nutrients and minerals it needed from the rich, organic foods that I fed it.
Instead of completely cutting out the “bad” foods, try eating more and more of the good foods and overtime, you can start to see a difference in your gut health, your mood swings, your satiety and even your hunger cravings. This does not mean, I do not enjoy some dark chocolate once in a while when I have a bad day, but I feel more balanced – physically, emotionally and mentally, when I am feeding my body the right nutrients.
Eating a whole food plant based diet is not a daunting task! As a busy professional, I do not have more than 30 minutes to an hour to cook my meals. Therefore, I will find ways to make quick, healthy but delicious meals that are not boring! I do not eat salads all day long, but I find recipes that will make me feel more full (longer) by enriching my diet with whole grains (quinoa, amaranth, brown rice, etc.) and fiber filled vegetables!
Here are my favorite resources about eating a whole foods plant based diet:
Dr. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies
By decreasing the overall inflammation in your body, you can lower your chronic stress levels and improve your oral health, overall health and well being.
To health,
Dr. Dhwani Shah