{"id":245,"date":"2017-06-30T13:10:58","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T17:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.toledodentistry.com\/blog\/?p=245"},"modified":"2024-08-23T15:38:10","modified_gmt":"2024-08-23T19:38:10","slug":"grinding-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toledodentistry.com\/blog\/2017\/06\/30\/grinding-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dangers of Stress on Your Dental Health: Grinding Teeth, Gum Disease & More"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stress is an unavoidable part of life, from childhood all the way through our golden years. No matter the type of job you have or what\u2019s going on in your life, something is going to have the potential to cause you some degree of stress. Many health issues are often spurred by underlying chronic stress \u2013 such as hypertension or anxiety.\u00a0Issues like grinding teeth, developing canker sores and more can all be attributed to stress too!<\/p>\n

While you may know the effects stress has on your body, did you know it can significantly impact your dental health? Sometimes it\u2019s hard to identify your own stress levels, but if you think you may have underlying stress from your day-to-day life, it\u2019s important to learn the symptoms and risks involved in chronically high stress levels!<\/p>\n

Dental Health Problems Exacerbated by Stress<\/h2>\n

Canker Sores<\/h3>\n

Cankers sores, or mouth sores, are often small ulcers in the mouth and typically harmless. While they vary from case to case, a canker sore can be incredibly painful. While doctors still aren\u2019t sure about the exact cause of mouth sores, stress seems to be a very common catalyst to developing them. Due to the pain caused by contact, canker sores can also discourage you from brushing regularly, causing an even greater impact on your dental health!<\/p>\n

TMD\/TMJ \u2013 Temporomandibular Joint Disorder<\/h3>\n

While many refer to TMJ as a disorder, it\u2019s actually referring to the temporomandibular joint, which connects your lower jawbone to your skull, acting as the hinge for moving your jaw. TMD is a disorder in which this joint becomes inflamed. This can be extremely painful due to the frequency in which most people use this joint for talking, chewing or breathing.<\/p>\n

Stress plays into TMD directly \u2013 but it can also indirectly cause TMD through causing behavior that leads to you overusing your jaw, such as grinding teeth.<\/p>\n

Bruxism<\/h3>\n

Bruxism is the technical term for clenching the jaw or grinding teeth. Stress is most likely one of the biggest contributors to causing, though sleep apnea or other sleep disorders can also exacerbate the issue. Many people who experience bruxism grind their teeth during their sleep, though it\u2019s not uncommon for individuals to grind their teeth or clench their jaw during the day as well.<\/p>\n

While canker sores or TMD are usually easily identified by a patient due to the pain, bruxism can be more difficult. This is because you\u2019re often unaware that you\u2019re grinding your teeth, even as you do it. There are a few signs of grinding that your dentist can often notice:<\/p>\n